Petals Of Sakura
by Melody340
Summary: Story Of The Eevee named Sakura who have secret beyond anyone's guess and we join her and her friends as they embark on twisty adventure to hide the secret for good
1. Chapter 1

Introduction

This is a reversion of ToF, Tides Of Friendship but I changed the name of the 2 Eevee from; Melica to Sakura The Eevee, Jer to Arthur The Eevee. This is a 'run on' series like Eevee's Adventures so it may or may not be interesting.

Story

A storm battered down on a white building which lights shone on the damp grass and dirt that are pelted by rain. Inside the building, there are Pokmon in white or as we call them as Doctors and Nurses rushed in every direction as that day's group of eggs are brought into the hatching room from the incubator. There are over 50 eggs that day with over 25 different designs from sky blue eggs to black- red eggs. Some of the eggs have the same pattern and colours. A Bayleef was carrying a tray of 10 eggs in one of the several hatching rooms.  
>"Hey honey! Here today's batch of eggs," said Bayleef to the Ivysaur who was waiting for her.<br>"Thanks darling, now we wait for them to hatch..." said Ivysaur and soon the eggs started to glow one by one. Using multiple Vine Whip, they grabbed the plastic trays with soft cushion on them to the nearby table. They quickly took each egg out of the tray and placed it in on the plastic trays. Bayleef quickly scribbled something onto each of the tray's notepad. Soon as the eggs are sorted, they place it on the display window as the eggs hatched. Soon one by one the egg shell cracked opened and out came the newborn. There was a variety of Pokmon newborns however among the newborns there is still one egg beside a newborn Eevee who turned his attention to the egg. The Brown with vanilla zigzag pattern was glowing faintly and was not getting any brighter. The newborn Eevee looked at the egg.  
>"Eee!" said the Eevee and he leapt out of his tray and landed on the egg which cracked opened and forcing out another Eevee from the egg. Suddenly Vine Whip came held the Eevee who jumped on the egg back to his tray while the other sat up and looked at the other Eevee who leapt on the Egg. Families after families came and looked at the newborns. The Eevee from the dull egg fell asleep while the other Eevee saw his parents and leapt up and down.<br>"Aw isn't Arthur handsome!" said a Leafeon, looking at Arthur who was bouncing up and down at the sight of them.  
>"This reminds me of the time Cynthia was born!" said a Espeon who is slightly bigger than the Leafeon, Cynthia.<br>"Wow he is a hyper one isn't he, just like his old man!" said a Umbreon.  
>"Dad! He is nothing like you!" said Cynthia placing her nose on the glass and Arthur tried to give her lick. "I hope who is this one's parent..." Cynthia said looking at the Eevee who was sleeping in the tray beside Arthur. Arthur looked at the Eevee beside him and noticed Cynthia was looking at her. Arthur leapt over and woke up the sleeping Eevee.<br>"Ee..?" said the other Eevee as she looked up.  
>"Arthur is bolder than you, Dad!" laughed Cynthia as they went to talk to Bayleef and Ivysaur before taking Arthur home.<br>"Are you... Samuel The Umbreon and Nicole The Espeon?" asked Ivysaur.  
>"Yes we are!" said Samuel, "How is Arthur?"<br>"I must say that he is one of the healthiest I ever seen!" said Ivysaur, "Now if you just fill up the forms outside, we will give you all the necessary documents for Arthur." Bayleef passed them the forms and they left.  
>"Honey... that Eevee's mother passed and her father said that he disowned her completely," said Bayleef. Ivysaur was thinking hard about what to do with the Eevee.<br>"Who is her father?" asked Ivysaur. "I will try and convince him..."  
>"I think you shouldn't bother... trust me..." said Bayleef and she went and took the plastic tray with the sleeping Eevee on it and went back to Ivysaur. "Her mother lived long enough to name her and fill up the necessary forms."<br>"Well that would make it easier... I will help find a orphanage for this little one," said Ivysaur. Bayleef took the Eevee with her to the counter where she collected the forms and gave the Passports and Birth certificates. Arthur's family passed Arthur's information to Bayleef who went to fill it in. While waiting they saw the Eevee that Arthur woke up, sitting in the tray.  
>"Hey its that Eevee! Oh... her name is Sakura..." said Cynthia. "You are a good little girl aren't you!" Sakura looked at Cynthia, completely clueless of what she said.<br>"This girl is very cute but why is she here?" said Samuel. Bayleef came back with Arthur and his Documents.  
>"Sorry for the wait. Here is Arthur and his Documents," said Bayleef as Aurther leapt off the table and onto Cynthia, playing with her ears playfully.<br>"I know its not our business but why is... Sakura sitting here?" asked Cynthia.  
>"Oh her mother passed away and her father disowned her so she is now an orphan," said Bayleef and soon Arthur and his family left. Sakura looked at Bayleef who took out a large basket which a soft cushion inside. Bayleef gently used her Vine Whip to lift Sakura into the basket and Bayleef took the basket with her outside. There was a Van waiting for her outside.<br>"Hey Charmander! How's everything?" asked Bayleef,  
>"Hey Bayleef! So what's the job, Ivysaur said you need to transport a new born to Lavinder Town?" said Charmander, opening the back of the Van and arranging the items properly.<br>"Yup! It's this little one... Her name is Sakura," said Bayleef, giving Charmander the basket. Sakura looked up at Charmander.  
>"Eee?" said Sakura.<br>"Aw... she is cute!" said Charmander, "Don't worry about a thing Bayleef! I will take her safely to Lavinder Day Care at the PokAcademy."  
>"Oh yeah... Give this package to the Head Of the Daycare..." said Bayleef. Afterwards, The van drove off in the direction to Lavinder Town from Sun Falls. Sakura looked out the van's window and she saw a lot of flowers and greenery .<br>"Waaa!" said Sakura looking at the scenery near Sun Falls which was a giant waterfall with rays of sunshine shining through it forming rainbows. Sakura's eyes lit up as she saw Sun Falls.  
>"Oh you like the view? I will drive slowly so you can take a good look!" said Charmander and slowly drove the van and lowered the window so that Sakura can have a better look. The road was short as they soon left Sun Falls and into peaceful, windy Lavinder Town. Lavinder Town was well known for it's mountainous spring water and it's peaceful neighbourhood. A sweet flute melody can be heard as Sakura and Charmander entered Lavinder Town. Soon they are outside a impressive school house. Charmander gave Sakura a tiny bag that he had at the back of the van and he led Sakura into the school which was empty at that time.<br>"Hey Charmander! What brings you here?" asked someone. Sakura turned around to see a elegant Glaceon. Charmander turned around.  
>"Alice? Fancy meeting you here!" said Charmander.<br>"Well I am a teacher here!" said Alice. "Who is this?"  
>"This is Sakura, She is an orphan... Ivysaur talked to the head..." said Charmander but Alice understood quickly.<br>"No worries I will take care of her!" said Alice. Charmander passed her the Package and he left Sakura in Alice's hands ( Or Paws).  
>"Come along Sakura!" said Alice and Sakura followed Alice closely as she don't know her surroundings very well. Alice took Sakura into the Orphanage section of the school and let her into the Play Room where there are many other Orphans or Pokmon under Child Care Service. Sakura was a little nervous and tried to exit the room but Alice have closed the door behind her and so Sakura is left on her own in a room full of Pokmon she don't know. Most of them are playing in groups which made things difficult for Sakura to make friends. Sakura wandered around a bit until a ball rolled towards her. Sakura stopped the ball from going any further.<br>"Sorry!" said a voice, Sakura turned to see a Mudkip coming towards her, "Hey I never seen you around her before! What's your name!"  
>"It's... Sakura..." said Sakura, passing the ball back to Mudkip using her forepaws. "I just came here..."<br>"Why don't you come play with us!" said Mudkip, Sakura didn't know what to say but the Mudkip didn't give her any choice as he pushed her to his friends.  
>"Hi William! Who is your... friend?" asked a Charmander who is a lot smaller than the one Sakura saw early.<br>"She is new here and her name is Sakura!" said William. Sakura looked at the 3 other Pokmon; Chikorita, Shinx, Torchic.  
>"Well Sakura! I am William and that is Oliver the Charmander! And that is Dylan the Shinx! Jasmine the Chikorita and finally that is Rose the Torchic!"<br>"Hello..." said Sakura, finding little to say.  
>"Now we are done with the introductions! Let's play" said Oliver and he took the ball in his hands and used his tail to whack it to Rose. Rose, using her head, hit the ball to Dylan. The ball continued to be passed around until Alice the Glaceon as well as a Eevee came in.<br>"Excuse me! Sakura! May I have a word with you!" said the Eevee and Sakura stopped playing and she went with Alice and the Eevee and they went into a empty classroom.  
>"Sakura... are you aware of your current position?" asked the Eevee.<br>"Situation?" asked Sakura, completely taken off guard.  
>"Your mother died when your born and your father disowned you... So you are really in a thick situation."<br>"Oh... I didn't know that..." said Sakura, her eyes filling up with tears.  
>"But don't worry... for now you will just have to skip PokAcademy classes when you come of age until you get adopted." Explained Alice, "You will also stay here like most of the Pokmon from the room you were just in."<br>"Alright..." said Sakura, her heart feeling with sorrow.  
>"Well... I will just tell you your information," said Alice and after for what seemed like forever, Sakura exited the room and was led back into the Play Room where she reunited with her new found friends.<br>"Hello Sakura!" said Oliver, "What happend?" Sakura told them everything about her parents.  
>"Oh... Sakura... if you need to cry, don't hold it in..." said Jasmine. Sakura cried into Jasmine who held onto her, it was nearly an hour later when Sakura finally stopped.<br>"Come on... let's not dwell on the past... we are all together aren't we!" said William and soon they are playing truth or dare.  
>"Everyone!" said Alice coming back into the Play Room, "I want to introduce you all to 2 new friends...Sakura come here please!" Sakura went to Alice and she soon noticed another Eevee by Alice's side.<br>"This is Arthur! He will be joining us under Child Care Service while this is Sakura, she will be under us as an Orphan! Be nice to them!" said Alice, "You two can run along now!" Sakura went back to her friends while Arthur followed her.  
>"Hello Arthur! What are you doing following Sakura?" asked Oliver, Sakura turned around to see Arthur and Sakura hid behind Jasmine.<br>"I just... can i join you?" said Arthur. William and Oliver looked at him.  
>"Alright!" said William and Oliver.<br>"If you 2 don't mind I am rejoining my other friends..." said Dylan and he left the group. They sat back into a circle and played truth or Dare. Oliver started first  
>"Jasmine, Truth or Dare?" said Oliver.<br>"I am going with Truth!" said Jasmine.  
>"Are you an Orphan?" asked Oliver.<br>"No!" said Jasmine simply. "Arthur, Truth Or Dare?"  
>"I am going with Dare!" said Arthur.<br>"I dare you to... Tag me!" said Jasmine and she ran and the game turned to tag as everyone scattered. Arthur was a lot quicker and caught Jasmine in a matter of seconds. Jasmine went after the rest. Arthur and Sakura both are very fast so they avoid being tagged. Soon it was dinner time and they stopped playing and gathered. Alice came back and led everyone to the canteen for dinner.  
>"Wow you two are very fast!" said Jasmine, looking at Sakura and Arthur. Sakura blushed and ate her roasted berries quietly.<br>"I wasn't that fast..." said Sakura, "Arthur was faster..."  
>"Excuse me! Everyone!" said Alice, "There is a play and everyone is going to participate! Details will be given tomorrow!" and there was a murmur.<br>"A Play?" asked Sakura.  
>"A Play is like a performance where everyone pretends to be someone else..." explained Jasmine to Sakura as they ate together.<br>"Wait... you are born just today?" asked Jasmine.  
>"Yeah..." said Sakura, her head sank under the table. "I was born in a different town too..."<br>"Well! Isn't it the loser gang!" said someone. 


	2. Chapter 2

"And if it isn't the too nosy for her own good, Mandy!" said Jasmine, half laughing. Everyone else laughed loudly with Jasmine except Sakura who don't find that so funny as she don't know what they said. Jasmine and Mandy the Sneasel looked at Sakura. Sakura blinked twice quickly and Jasmine and Mandy looked from her to each other.  
>"Who is the kid?" asked Mandy suddenly.<br>"None of your business!" said Jasmine and Oliver together. William who took the hint tried to hurry Sakura away. Mandy saw William and stepped heavily on Sakura's tail.  
>"Ouch!" yelled Sakura as Mandy stepped on her tail. Sakura tried to pull her tail out but Mandy isn't letting her.<br>"Now are you going to let me know what I want or do I need to do something that get my claws dulled?" said Mandy, looking at Sakura with a glare.  
>"ITS SAKURA!" yelled Sakura quickly as Mandy sharpened her claws.<br>"So... Sakura... why don't you join our group, you would do so much better!"  
>"Everyone time for lunch! Come and take your Lunch Boxes!" said Alice and Mandy let Sakura's tail go and went with her other friends. Sakura grabbed her tail and fixed it. She was just getting up when Jasmine and William came over to her and handed her a lunch box.<br>"Come on let's go eat together!" said Jasmine, clearly cheerful after making fun of Mandy. "There is Oliver and Rose!" and they all sat together. Sakura opened her lunch box and inside was 2 Oran berries, 2 Pecha Berries and a slice of PokBread. Sakura looked at the rest of her friends and they took the berries or bread and ate it. Sakura took up the Pecha berry and inspected it and took a careful first bite. That bite sent a flush of sweetness through Sakura's mouth and she love it.  
>"It's good, huh?" asked Jasmine, taking a bite out of the PokBread. Sakura suddenly saw that the lunch box they received are different in terms of colour and pattern.<br>"Everyone! When you're finished with your lunch, please pass your lunch box to me!" said Alice. After finishing lunch, Jasmine found a ball in the toy box and she took it out.  
>"Let's play!" said Jasmine, dragging the rest to a corner. They divided into 2 teams with William, Oliver and Jasmine in one and Rose, Arthur and Sakura are in one. Arthur took the ball and strangely a force seems to taken over him and he leapt up and slam dunk the ball. Oliver nearly missed it but he bounce it and Jasmine used her leaf to spike it towards Sakura who flinched. The ball bounced off Sakura's head and Rose tossed it up. Arthur spiked it with his tail and it scored them a point.<br>"Wow talk about intense!" said someone and they stopped their game and saw Mandy and her crew with the head of the Pokball Club, "Impressive! Well... for a child!"  
>"Is that a challenge?" laughed Arthur.<br>"Why not we have a small game, my team against your... friends..." said the guy. Mandy and one of her friends come to replace Jasmine's team. Sakura looked at Arthur.  
>"Arthur... I think I will just... er... switch out..." whimpered Sakura and she tried to leave but Arthur hauled her back.<br>"No... You have a role to play in this game!" said Arthur, that left Sakura shaking.  
>"By the way... My name Luke and of course you met my cousin, Mandy and that's Amanda the Ralts," said the head of the Pokball Club. Luke took the ball and inspected it. He passed it to Mandy who tossed it to Amanda who head butt it and Luke gave a strong serve. It went to Sakura who reacted by cowering and folding herself into a ball and the ball bounced off of her and Arthur returned it. After a few minutes, only Arthur and Luke was playing while the rest sat at the side and either watched or played cards. The game ended when Arthur finally spiked a fiery ball and it bounced off the ground before burning up.<br>"Amazing! This is beyond what i expected out of one so young!" said Luke as he took his taste of defeat.  
>"Thanks and I still can believe it was my first time too!" said Arthur<br>"Anytime you want to join the Pokballer let me know and you are in!" said Luke with Amanda. Arthur went over to Sakura who was still curled up in a tight ball with the tail out.  
>"Sakura... you can come out now... we have finished the game and no ball will hit you anymore!" said Arthur and Sakura uncurled herself then a ball came whacking into her head. "Or so I think..."<br>"You should have seen your face! Hahaha!" laughed Mandy.  
>"Everyone gather please!" said Alice and they all gathered before a fight can break out. Alice took out a big piece of paper with lines over lapping each other in different colours and to empty box and to a covered up box.<br>"Now this is to decide the roles for the play and the name will be..." said Alice and there was a lot of excitement and hoped for different kinds of fairy tails. "The story of the Silver Moon!"  
>"Oh that's is my favourite!" cried out several Pokmon. Sakura who had no idea just remained silent. Arthur was with her.<br>"Now each of you will come out and write your name in one of the empty boxes. Arthur looked at the colours carefully and then placed his name on a red box. Sakura simply choose the pink box as it was her favourite. When everyone placed their name, Alice peeled off the tape covering the roles. "Now the prince for this story is... Arthur and the princess is... Mandy!" Sakura could have almost sworn that Arthur turned green for one second. "Now for one of the most important roles which is the narrator... Sakura!"  
>"What?" said Sakura, shocked. "Can't I..." started Sakura but she was left unheard as Alice pinned the notice on the notice board and handed out the books to everyone.<br>"Erm... Alice... can I don't be the narrator..." asked Sakura.  
>"Don't be silly! You will be great, Sakura!" and Alice thrust the Narrator booklet into Sakura's paws. Sakura sighed and placed the booklet into her bag then went off to find the rest of her friends.<br>"I am the prince? I cannot take it!" yelled Arthur.  
>"Well the rest of us are in charge for set up..." said jasmine.<br>"You all have the easiest job!" said Rose to Arthur and Sakura. Sakura sunk her head down. "Well Sakura got the easiest anyway..."  
>"Why? She is a narrator, she have a lot of lines," asked William.<br>"Yes but she does not need to remember them as she will be at the side with the booklet," replied Rose.  
>"Mail's here!" yelled Dylan and everyone except orphans went to the trolley that came with all of their parcels.<br>"What's that?" as Sakura asked William.  
>"Mail is things or letters sent by their loved ones to them," said William and the rest came back with their parcels.<br>"My mom sent me a plush toy!" said Jasmine and she took out a Bayleef Plush Toy. "And it looks like her too!"  
>"Everyone time for you all to go to your rooms and settle down! Its nearly 5.00 pm! " said Alice after a while. "Follow me please!" Everyone followed her up a level. Sakura, Jasmine, Arthur, William, Oliver and Rose are in Room S together and there are 3 bunk beds so they took their pick. Arthur and Sakura got one bunk bed together. Sakura got the top bed as Arthur strangely said he likes being low. Sakura who only got a tiny bag and the play booklet got nothing much to do to settle in. Sakura merely arrange the pillow and then took a look at the booklet. She has a lot to say.<br>"Ok you two... we all are going to set up the stage so you two just practice your lines..." said Jasmine and the rest went to the stage together leaving Sakura and Arthur alone together.  
>"Well do you want to practice... the lines... if its alright with you..." asked Sakura. Arthur was not aware that Sakura is so shy.<br>"Are you sure about practicing together? You seem to be shaking..." said Arthur. Sakura fall down from the bunk bed at that comment and she landed on Arthur.  
>"Sorry... I just..." said Melody, getting off of Arthur.<br>"Never mind... lets just started... you start first..." said Arthur, Sakura cleared her throat and read out the start of the story. Arthur only came in when there is a line so they finished within an hour and just when Jasmine and the rest came but Arthur and Sakura was looking at each other with loving eyes.  
>"Are you done practicing?" asked Jasmine Sakura and Arthur both hastily turned.<br>"YES!" called Sakura and Arthur nervously and they both went to their bed.  
>"Ok... What's wrong with the two of you? You all are like alright but now you two are just plain wierd..."asked Oliver<br>"Nothing! Its nothing!" said the both Sakura and Arthur together. They all talked about the play until it was almost time for them to sleep. Sakura opened the sliding glass panel and went out into the balcony and looked at the beautiful crescent moon and glittering stars. Arthur looked at Sakura and he came out and joined her.  
>"Isn't the night pretty?" said Arthur.<br>"Oh Arthur! You surprised me..." said Sakura, turning her sparkling eyes towards Arthur. "It is a beautiful night..."  
>"Did you realised that the story of the Silver Moon is actually based on a old Eevee tale..." said Arthur.<br>"Really? I thought it was just a fairy tale..." said Sakura.  
>"Well the story... the two celestial Eevee evolutions who raised the sun and moon together..."<br>"I thought it was just a princess who raised the moon and the prince who raised the sun ..." said Sakura. Sakura was cut off as suddenly she saw something fly across the moon. "Did you see that?"  
>"I did... but it don't know what it is..." said Arthur. Sakura was starting to feel cold as the wind started to blow and they moved back into the room.<br>"Lights out!" said Alice from the door. Sakura went back to her bed and the lights went out on such a beautiful night. 


	3. Chapter 3

As the soft sun glow came from above Mt. Sun. Inhabitants of Lavinder town slowly stirred by the sound of sweet chirps a Starly flock. A suddenly sound of School Bells and Arthur suddenly woke up.

"Wow after getting out of that egg... I need to wake up to that loud sound?" said Arthur, "Now where is the... Waa!" Arthur slipped off the bed and fell down. "Well... at least I know where the floor is... Wait... does the floor have fur?" Arthur looked again and he was on a lump of brown fur.

"Ouch..." said the lump of fur. Arthur recognized the voice and got off quickly.

"Oh! So sorry... Sakura!" said Arthur.

"No its my fault for falling off... and apparently squished by you," said Sakura, rubbing her leg.

"Well the squishing you part is my fault... but the falling is yours then," said Arthur, "Are you happy now?" Sakura giggled slightly and got up painfully.

"Wow the bells are not louder than you two!" said Oliver, "but totally less effective." Arthur and Sakura took their bags and took out their booklets and head out of the room together.

"There you both are!" said someone, "You two are late for the fitting!"

"FITTING?" said Sakura and Arthur, "What fitting?"

"Your Costumes! Now come with me!" said Dylan the Shinx and they went with him to the back stage. "Arthur you will have to go with me for your medieval costume and... Shirley will handle Sakura's outfit." Shirley turns out to be a Budew and she came with a fairy costume.

"Are you sure that is mine? I am the narrator..." asked Sakura.

"Oh sorry this is for the... never mind... let me get yours," said Shirley and she moved back to the clothes rack, mumbling narrator as she searched and she pulled out accessories and started handing them in a bundle to Sakura. Sakura merely clipped them on and she looked presentable.

"I wished they made the costumes slightly better looking..." said Arthur coming out, wearing what supposed to be a prince outfit but instead a squire outfit.

"Wow is that it?" asked Sakura.

"Apparently so..." said Arthur, as Shirley and Dylan made the necessary adjustments on Arthur's costume and helping Sakura to adjust and pin up her shawl and beret then properly pinning on the accessories. "Can you two please ... OW!"  
>"Sorry but this was a little loose so I will just take this pin and..." Dylan jabbed the pin into the cloth and into Arthur's hind leg.<p>

"Ouch! What did I ever do to ... Maybe that one time but I apologized!" said Arthur. Dylan obviously very insulted and he roughly secured the clothes. Shirley, on the other hand, was gently smoothing the shawl and beret on Sakura.

"Excuse me Shirley, What is this outfit. It looks familiar..." asked Sakura, Shirley kept silent and she kept trying smoothen the Shawl that is not going to get any smoother than powdered glass.

"That is the formal headwear for the students who studied in the school ..." said Dylan as he does the touching up on Arthur's costume. They both slowly looked at each other.

"Well since the costumes are done... we are pretty much all set, just that you two may need to take it off until tomorrow's rehearsal and the performance," and after a few screams and tearing Sakura and Arthur left the back stage with their fur in bunch.

"Remind me, never to let Dylan touch my fur..." said Arthur as he limped back. Sakura walked normal behind him. "Why aren't you hurt?"

"Maybe because Shirley is gentle enough to make sure both the former rental and my fur come out clean?" suggested Sakura and Arthur was completely steamed and he stormed to the play room.

"Hey Sakura! Arthur come here I want to try something!" said Jasmine, pulling them both towards their corner.

"What's this about?" asked Sakura.

"I just got this! Now Sakura... On second thought, Arthur come here and I will just clip this on your tail!" said Jasmine, holding a butterfly clip. Arthur stood still and when the clip is clipped on Arthur felt something strange. "How does it feel like... "

"driew sleef ti... " said Arthur, suddenly stopping as he is saying 'It feels weird' inside out. That sent Jasmine and almost the rest of the gang laughing like crazy.

"I should have told you that the clip has confusion powder!" laughed Jasmine.

"ynnuf ton si siht!" yelled Arthur, sending another wave of laughter only Sakura was not laugh but instead she looked at the clip and took it off and brushed off the powder left behind. "What I meant to say... THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" Sakura held the clip and looked at it but suddenly someone knocked into Sakura and spray the confusion powder all over her.

"Oops sorry... Not!" laughed Mandy, Sakura saw strangely allergic to the powder as she sneezed and started to go all crazy and whacky.

"Sakura what's wrong with you!" asked Jasmine as Sakura just did a tango with Arthur and then tossed him into Mandy. "William... Can you please..."

"Oh Fine!" said William and he spurt a lot of water on Sakura, completely washing the powder off and Sakura stopped being totally random and whacky.

"Wow this is... not good... What happened here?" asked Sakura, looking at Arthur and Mandy who both fainted.

"Jasmine! What was in that confusion powder?" asked Oliver, inspecting the powder.

"Well there is Lavender Oran powder as well as shattered Charm Berry that can only be found in Lavinder Town," listed Jasmine, "I think Sakura is allergic to Charm Berries as they are the berries that cause the whacky effect and the confusing words."

"Good one, Jasmine! It is a scream!" said Rose and William. Sakura, on the other hand, was terrified at what she had done.

"Everyone I made all of your groupings so take a look at the notice board!" said Alice pinning up another notice on the bulky notice board that is filled with other sorts of notices. Jasmine pushed her friends to the notice board they looked at the groupings. They are all in one group along with Dylan and Susan the Ralts.

"Looks like we are in the same team!" said Jasmine and Dylan together. Susan looked a little shy but she hid it well. Sakura was strangely feeling happy around Jasmine and her friends.

"Excuse me group S its your turn for a medical check up," said Alice and led them to the nurse office where they are divided by gender then entered the room as two separate groups. The boys went into the door on the right while the girls went into the door to the left. Afterwards they all came out with a health booklet. Alice took Sakura's, William's and Rose's booklets and they headed back to the play room and the next group went the check up.

"Wow that was actually fast!" said Jasmine, jumping excitedly. "Oh yeah! Sakura! My parents sent something for you actually!"

"... but they don't know me!" said Sakura, hastily.

"My parents are full time doctors! They know everyone since they are born!" laughed Jasmine and she took out a tiny box. Sakura hesitated but then slowly took the box and opened it and it contains two things; a comb and a first aid kit.

"Help me say thanks to your parents, Jasmine. They are really kind," said Sakura, putting the items into her tiny backpack.

"Now come on everyone let's go to the field!" said Jasmine and they all followed her. Jasmine, Oliver, Rose, Dylan, Arthur, William went and played tag. Sakura and Susan went to the big tree beside the field and sat there quietly and talked.

"So Susan, what do your parents do?" asked Sakura after one minute of awkward silence after saying hello.

"My parents are expert researchers in Spring Town," said Susan, "They sent me here as they don't have any room and my mom is worried that my dad will mistake me as a science specimen and experiment me."

"At least you know your parents," said Sakura, "I heard that my mother died giving birth to me and my father, supposedly overwhelmed by sadness or something, and abandoned me." At the mention of that event made Sakura cried heavily. Susan tried franticly to calm Sakura but the truth hurt Sakura more as every second pass.

"It's alright! Sakura, please calm down!" said Susan, stroking Sakura's back.

"Susan? What's the matter with Sakura?" puffed Arthur as he dashed by.

"I don't know! We are just talking then she... well you get the idea!" said Susan hastily. Arthur went up to Sakura and stroked her ear which actually made her stop crying almost instantly.

"There there... its alright Sakura, no need to cry," said Arthur, soothingly before dashing off to avoid Jasmine.

"Wow! Arthur is real good at calming you down," giggled Susan, Sakura's face turned red. "Are you ok? You look a little red…" Sakura quickly dug a hole and plunged her face into it.

"My face is not…" said Sakura while her face is in the ground.

"Whoa! Sakura! Please lift up your head or you will suffocate!" said Susan. Sakura slowly lift her head up with her face and mouth full of dirt. Sakura spat the dirt out of her mouth then slowly refill the hole she dug.

"I think I need to get a shower, I am covered in dirt…" said Sakura.

"Hey Susan! Sakura! Are you both sick or something? Come over here!" yelled Oliver and Jasmine. Susan and Sakura went over to the group.

"Erm… What's wrong with your fur?" asked Arthur, looking at the dirt-covered Sakura.

"I just fall in a hole," said Sakura.

"Everyone heads down!" yelled Jasmine and they all lowered their heads as a Shadow Ball came flying dangerously near them.

"Impressive Mandy!" cheered Chelsea the Rotom and Silver the Munna.

"Now watch as I knock all 8 of them down!" said Mandy and she charged another Shadow Ball and hurl it at the group who had to jump out of the way. Silver helped Mandy by using Psywave while Chelsea used Thundershock.

"Everyone fan out!" yelled Oliver and they all dispersed as Mandy, Chelsea and Silver came into the field and continuously firing their combat moves. Sakura had a lot of near misses from a Shadow ball and thundershock. Arthur was not going to let Mandy dominate them so easily so he charged straight them while dodging their attacks. Arthur tackled Chelsea and Silver but getting hit by shadow ball in the process. Arthur flew backwards and landed on Sakura.

"What is it with you landing on me," said Sakura as Arthur got off of her.

"Let's take her down together!" said Arthur to Sakura who nodded. They both charged at Mandy who hurled another Shadow Ball at them but they dodged it. Mandy powered up her claws for scratch attack.

"Split up!" yelled Arthur and they both ran in another direction and redirected back at Mandy and successfully tackling her and knocking her down. The rest of the group came out of the bushes that they are hiding in.

"What are you all doing out here!" said an angry voice and Alice came out. "Who did this to Mandy!" Arthur and Sakura looked horrified and turned to each other.

"It's me!" yelled out Sakura. 


	4. Chapter 4

"Sakura? I am surprised that you would hurt someone!" yelled Alice at Sakura, "I mean when a leaf fell on your head, you went screaming for your life!"

"But Alice! Sakura didn't…" started Arthur before Sakura used her tail to whack him and she tilt her head slightly to give him a glare.

"Didn't what?" asked Alice looking at Arthur. Sakura continued to give Arthur a uncomfortable stare. "Go on Arthur, is there something I should know about?"

"Well Sakura is…" started Arthur but Sakura was looking at him as if she might cry at any moment. "Is… Not the only one! I did it too! Mandy attacked us!"

"You all will meet me later for punishment!" yelled Alice who was clearly annoyed. "And never let this happened again, If someone attacks you, do not fight back but come to me!" Alice stormed back inside leaving them to themselves.

"Arthur, what are you doing! I was trying to keep you out of trouble," said Sakura, Arthur looked at her.

"By letting you take the fall for me? I fall on you but I want to repay the favor!" said Arthur. Sakura sighed and then they went off to play again while Sakura went back to the tree and hid herself inside a flowering Oran berry bush.

"Care to share your thoughts?" asked someone near the bush Sakura was hiding.

"Oh it's you, Jasmine," said Sakura coming out of the bushes with her tail covered in leaves and twigs. "I was just… well thinking…" Sakura sat down as Jasmine slowly and carefully took the natural debris from her tail. "I think I might have feeling for Arthur… OW!" Sakura yelled as Jasmine accidently pulled out a twig roughly in surprise.

"You like Arthur?" asked Jasmine, "Oh so that's why you tried to take the blame for him!"

"Yeah but now I got both us into trouble," said Sakura.

"Come on let's not think about that just yet, TAG YOU'RE IT!" laughed Jasmine and she ran away from Sakura.

"Oh Jasmine! You will not get away from me!" laughed Sakura as she chased her down. The fun lasted until the gloomy evening when the rain started to fall and covering Lavinder town. Sakura and Arthur, after eating their dinner, went with Alice for their punishment with Mandy, Silver and Chelsea. Alice led them into the school's basement which is filled with cobwebs and dust covered shelves.

"Alright all of you will clean up then carry those 5 boxes to the stage," said Alice, pointing to the dust covered boxes then to the 5 boxes piled at the corner. "When you all are done, head back to your rooms as it will be late by the time you are all done." With that Alice ascend up the steps out of the basement, leaving all of them to do the work. Sakura took up the bucket by her mouth and went to one of shelves.

"I am not going to touch this…" complained Mandy, looking disgusted at the rag and bucket. Sakura and Arthur both ignored Mandy's complaint and continued to work on the shelves.

"Arthur can you reach the higher shelves? I can't really reach," asked Sakura trying to stretch up to the shelves. Suddenly a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, Sakura shrieked and grasped onto Arthur and tried to squeeze him death. "Lightning!"

"Sakura! You are choking me!" said Arthur pulling Sakura off of him, "And for the shelves, I can't reach either but you can get on my back." Sakura climbed onto Arthur's back and took the rag and wiped the top shelves.

"That didn't take too long!" said Arthur, "And Sakura I think you need to gain a bit more pounds, you are light as a feather!"

"Should I thank you or slap you?" asked Sakura getting off Arthur's back. "Anyways we need to get the 5 boxes up."

"Fine we will help but we are not cleaning!" said Silver as Mandy forced them into doing the work. They each took a box and they left the basement en route to the hall.

"Mandy we are not really going to do this right?" whispered Chelsea to Mandy.

"Of course not! Watch this!" and Mandy faked a fall but it fooled Chelsea and Silver into helping her get into act. Arthur and Sakura looked back when they heard a crash.

"I will go take a look, you go on ahead," said Sakura and she went up to Mandy and her group. "What happened?"

"I tripped and I twisted my ankle, I can't carry the box anymore," sobbed Mandy and it was further added up by Silver and Chelsea who act along with her.

"Mandy… I will get you to our room to rest," said Silver.

"Sakura, be a dear and help us to carry these boxes," said Chelsea but she didn't want to leave Sakura chance to say no and quickly said thanks and hurried off. Sakura, being selfless, lift the boxes onto her back and slowly walked down the hallway.

"Ok! That's the end of my punishment!" cheered Arthur as he placed the box down. "Where's Sakura?" Arthur turned around to see Sakura struggling under the heavy weight of 4 boxes.

"Gr..eat! We fi..inished!" said Sakura before she lost her strength and collapsed under the weight. Arthur sweat-dropped as the falling boxes buried Sakura.

"Sakura? Sakura!" said Arthur, shaking Sakura trying to wake her up. Sakura slowly opened her eyes to see Alice and Arthur as well as the rest of the group around her.

"Ouch… My head…" said Sakura as she was being supported by Arthur and Alice. "What happened?"

"Well for one thing, you had us worried to death," said Arthur. "Second, you might want to forget what I said about your weight."

"Can all of you take Sakura back to the room?" asked Alice, her fur glittering with the starry sky. "I will call the doctor to help examine her." Alice left while Jasmine gently lifted Sakura onto Arthur's back and they all walked back together.

"How long was I out?" asked Sakura.

"About two hours," replied Arthur, "Long enough for me to get Alice and punish Mandy and her group," laughed Arthur and the rest of the group. When they settled Sakura down, they all went to sleep as they are all tired.

"This is the patient?" said someone, Sakura kept her eyes closed but her ears sharp.

"Yes, is there anything wrong with her?" asked Alice. After a few minutes of checking, another voice spoke.

"She just suffered from a few bruises from the boxes, she just need to be a little more gentle."

"Alright then, just give these bandages to her when she wakes up in the morning," said the first voice, then suddenly they changed the subject.

"Did you get the package?" asked the first voice.

"Yes and when do I give it to her?" asked Alice. "It's really important to her, you know!" Sakura heard enough that she just went back to sleep. What are they talking about? Sakura thought as she slept through the cold night. After several hours, the sun came up and warmed up Lavinder Town. Arthur got up early and he looked around, half expecting Sakura to fall off again.

"Sakura?" asked Arthur, seeing Sakura on the balcony looking at the morning sky. "What's on your mind?" Sakura slowly turned her head to face Arthur and she told him what she heard yesterday night.

"The package you gave to Alice contains something that is important to you?" said Arthur. Suddenly there was a knock and Alice came in while the rest of the group slowly wake up one by one.

"Sakura may I have a word with you?" asked Alice, Sakura merely nodded and then Alice took her to an empty corridor.

"I think that you should have this…" Alice then clipped a necklace onto Sakura. Sakura looked at the necklace and it was in a shape of a key with a cherry blossom jewel. "It belonged to your mother and it's time that I pass it to you." Sakura's eyes began to water as a bright smile appeared on her face. Alice decided to walk away and let Sakura enjoy the moment of bliss.

"Mom…" muttered Sakura as she grasped the key-shaped jewel in her paw and let the tears flow. Sakura cleared her tears then wandered back into her room to grab her tiny bag. Arthur was waiting for her to come back.

"What was that about?" asked Arthur. Sakura, by impulse, said nothing. Sakura and Arthur left together to go to the Play Room where they found their friends quickly.

"What took you all so long?" asked Oliver as they played with bricks. "We are nearly done with building the wall!" They soon got to work finishing it however it was made a little difficult as all of them a little smaller than the bricks. (about 50cm by 50cm, I know it's a little too big for toy bricks) Soon they all finished making a solid wall.

"Let try and knock it down!" yelled Jasmine as she charged at the wall but only knocking 1 brick off. The rest followed doing nothing more than Jasmine.

"Why not we do it together!" suggested William and they all agreed and got into position. "1… 2… 3!" and they all hit the wall and it toppled. As they got up, a small glow emitted from all of their bodies and they felt slightly stronger. "Nice work!"

"What is that Sakura?" asked Arthur as a sudden sparkle came from Sakura's necklace. Sakura nervously turned away and hid the necklace in her thick fur coat.

"Everyone time for the performance! Head to the hall now!" said Alice as everyone quickly got their stuff and went to the hall where Shirley and Dylan along with other Pokmon helped the rest get into their costumes. Sakura just merely put on the shawl and beret and neatly brushed herself then she set her book on the stand that she will be standing behind. "Sakura can I have a word with you please?"

"Sure…" said Sakura and she followed Alice to a room and she met the rest of her group in their respective costumes. "What is going on?"

"I just want let you all know that since you all ascend to Level 2 Combat, you all must attend Battle Class next semester along with several others, however Sakura and William, you are exempted." Sakura and William looked as if the story wasn't new to them. Soon they all left room half excited and half nervous.

"Hey Guys! The King And Queen Of SunGrove City is going to watch!" yelled Jasmine after peering into the crowd.

"Sakura! It's time!" said Alice, Sakura slowly walked out from the side of the curtain to the stand where she left her book. Sakura cleared her throat then fumbled for a flash card that Alice had given her.

"Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen and Welcome to the Annual performance by…" started Sakura when suddenly there was a rain of sparks from all the wiring then a loud boom sent nearly everyone running. Sakura's stand exploded and the splinters of wood gave her cuts and the shockwave of the explosion blew Sakura backwards through the flaming curtain and hitting the backdrop and letting it fall on her and knocking her out 


	5. Chapter 5

"Sakura!" yelled Arthur as the electrical fire spread across the curtain and covering the hall in dense smoke. Alice and some water Pokémon came in shortly after Arthur disappeared into the smoke to fight the fire.

"Arthur! Sakura! Where are you?" yelled Alice and she looked through the rubble as the firefighting team put out the fire.

"Alice! I think I found them!" yelled someone and Alice rushed over to see Sakura and Arthur unconscious and close together. "Get them out of here as we investigate the fire!" Alice bit Sakura and Arthur's fur collar and hauled them to the Sick Bay. The Sick Bay was extremely wide with 10 beds and 8 of them are occupied when Sakura and Arthur came in. Arthur coughed out smoke after a minute after getting treatment from Bayleef who was still in town went she visited to check up Sakura. Sakura, unfortunately, got hit by splinters of woods and an electric shockwave from the explosion. Sakura was in a bad shape as the splinters gave her deep cuts and the larger wood gave her bruises and the shockwave broke a couple of bones.

"Sakura was just making recovery! But now this…" said Bayleef as she bandaged Sakura gently but tightly.

"ARTHUR!" yelled someone and 3 Eeveelutions came crashing into the ward.

"Good day… I presume you are Arthur's family?" said Alice. Arthur coughed out some more smoke and woke up in time to get crushed by Cynthia the Leafeon who was crying her eyes out.

"Arthur thank goodness you are alright, little brother!" cried Cynthia, hugging Arthur until his face turn into a nasty shade of blue. Cynthia suddenly noticed Sakura. "Mom.. Dad.. Isn't that the Eevee we saw that the hospital when Arthur was born?"

"Hey you are right! It's that Sakura girl from the hospital counter!" said Nicole The Espeon, looking at the unconscious Sakura. "She is a cute little one like Cynthia when she was young… ", said Nicole.

"I agree, honey…" said Samuel the Umbreon. After several hours, Sakura woke up with a start on her bed, covered in bandages.

"What… happened?" muttered Sakura as she looked around. She was in her circular dormitory completely alone as the evening hues of the sun painted the room orange. "I was at the hall for the performance but then… all I heard was a huge explosion…" said Sakura, sitting up, Sakura sighed then took the necklace out of her fur coat and took a long look at it. The Sakura Jewel sparkles in the sun rays while the metal vines that from the shape of the key glittered.

"Sakura? Are you awake?" asked a voice that Sakura recognize as Arthur.

"Yes!" said Sakura and she quickly hid the Necklace into her thick fur coat. Arthur came in looking slightly happier than Sakura remembered. "What's the occasion?"

"You get to go to school tomorrow!" said Arthur happily. Sakura looked shocked but happy at the same time.

"But I cannot afford to go to school…" said Sakura leaning by the side of the top bunk bed.

"Well my parents helped you pay for the education and other necessities!" said Arthur, Sakura gave Arthur a great big hug that he froze in surprise. In the short time as they hugged, Arthur felt strangely happy that Sakura was hugging him. When Sakura finally stopped hugging, when she wanted to let go Arthur held on to her.

"Arthur? Arthur? You can let go now," said Sakura, Arthur suddenly let go with his face in a shade of red. "You alright?"

"Fine! But first things first! You got to meet my parents!" said Arthur and they left the dormitory together. As they walked down the hall Arthur couldn't help but look at Sakura with loving eyes.

"And there they are!" said someone as Sakura and Arthur went into a room. "Sakura how are you! My name is Cynthia!" it was Arthur's older sister Cynthia shaking Sakura's paw with her brown soft paws.

"Hello…" said Sakura as Cynthia kept talking about how cute she was. Arthur, on the other hand, was talking to his parents.

"Sakura seems like a sweet girl!" said Samuel (Arthur's Father, in case you don't know who he is) "Do you like her?"

"Well I don't know…" said Arthur blushing uncontrollably. "She is just kind I guess." Samuel laughed at Arthur's faces as it turned red and looked very funny indeed.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura! I hope we get to see more of each other when you are in PokéAcademy with Arthur and me," said Cynthia as Arthur and Sakura are supposed to return to the Play Room as Arthur's family sort out a few things.

"I think you make a nice first impression on my sister and mom!" said Arthur cheerfully and they trotted side by side. Sakura was also feeling a little shy about meeting Arthur's sister and mom at the same time but it all turned out good but inside Sakura's heart, she felt that she is taking advantage of Arthur's kindness and was determined not to make herself a burden for Arthur's family. (Note: Sakura was not adopted by Arthur's parents)

"I hope I would not be a burden for your family…" said Sakura as they entered the Play Room and reunited with the rest of the group. After gaining their Level 2 combat, they wanted to make use of it to help them train and they all proceeded to the field. Sakura rested by the tree as she was in no condition to battle. Arthur decided to stay with Sakura and Susan. Jasmine and William are taking turns at Tackling and Dodging each other.

"Arthur do you mind helping us?" yelled Oliver as he needed another partner other than Dylan. Arthur go on and went to join Oliver.

"Hey guys look! I did it!" said Jasmine and William as they both got the same glow as before but its brighter and it lasted longer.

"I see that you are getting a little practice!" said Alice coming onto the field. "Congratulations to Jasmine and William for getting to Combat Level 3."

"Before all of you go for Combat Class tomorrow, I suggest you learn at least a new move other than the basic normal attacks, so good luck!" said Alice as she went back in the team gathered at the tree and discussed what did Alice meant by a new move.

"Maybe we need to level up to 4 to obtain it?" said Jasmine and William and most of them agreed except for Susan, Rose and Sakura. Sakura soon took off the bandages and she was ready to have a practice session with Jasmine. The wind picked up as Jasmine and Sakura stood apart. Jasmine charged at Sakura who responded by dodging. Sakura suddenly thought that she can tunnel under the field and surprise Jasmine while she had her back turned. Sakura used Dig and disappeared from sight. When Jasmine turned around, Sakura was not where in sight.

"Sakura? Where are you?" asked Jasmine, letting her guard down. During that critical moment, Sakura unleash the Dig Attack and sent Jasmine flying but caught her with her fluffy body. "That was amazing!" said Jasmine and both of them level up to Level 4 (Sakura Double level, happens when defeating a Pokémon of a higher combat level, 25% chance) As the day dwindle by, all of them level up to 4 and all of managed to get another move another than the basics. As it reached evening, they were returned to the Play Room and suddenly they saw Mandy and her crew bullying some new orphans that come to stay.

"Back off Mandy! What is with you bullying!" said Jasmine stepping in front of new Pokémon. Sakura can clearly see that the some of the new Pokémon was crying and went to help Jasmine by calming them down.

"Get off our backs then!" said a new Pokémon from Mandy's group, A Pikachu with scar across his face and ruby red eyes that seem to pierce through your soul.

"Who are you? Another Mandy's Mad Fan?" asked William but there was a note of fear as Water Types don't feel comfortable around Electric Types.

"My name's Jake and I am not Mandy's Mad Fan whatever that is," said the Pikachu. Sakura hurried the other Pokémon away but Jake suddenly saw Sakura and Arthur coming back. "Well if I am not mistaken, we have a couple in this room!" Arthur at the very mention of the word 'couple' his face turned pink. Sakura just looked around for the 'couple'.

"See you all later!" said Jake sourly and he headed for the dormitories.

"Let's hope we don't have to see Jake or Mandy in Combat Class…" said Arthur


	6. Chapter 6

As the golden sun rose from Mt. Sun, the inhabitants of Lavinder Town slowly woke up to the soft tweets from a flock of Pidgey. Sakura woke up sleepily and it was the first day of the Pokémon Academy in Lavinder town. As Sakura yawned and stretched, she proceeded to the balcony to warm her fur in the sunlight. During the night, Sakura's fur was her hot water bottle without the water. Sakura was now as cold as stone so she needed to warm herself up.

"That feels good…" said Sakura as the sun warmed her up. Soon she was back into the dormitory and was taking her bag.

"Good morning, Sakura," said Arthur as he woke up.

"Oh did I wake you up?" asked Sakura as she turned to look at Arthur.

"Yes but I am a light sleeper," said Arthur getting up and stretching as well. Today seemed to be a peaceful day. There was a cloudless sky, gentle breeze and it was extremely peaceful like a typical morning. Soon afterwards, they all headed down for breakfast which was the usually berries and PokéBread

"I am so excited!" said Jasmine excitedly and she wolfed down her PokéBread. Everyone seems to be very excited about the Combat Class. The Combat Class was a class that all Pokémon must take or they can't graduate at all. Soon as they went over to the arena, before class, they met up Mandy and her group.

"Oh look it's the loser group!" laughed Mandy.

"Why are you here?" asked Jasmine as they entered the arena.

"I am a Level 3, so I naturally have to be here!" said Mandy. Sakura looked around and saw that Jake was standing in the shadows and was not getting involved in the situation.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" asked Sakura as she walked off the rest of the group and talked to Jake who merely opened his eyes to take a glance at her.

"What does it matter to you?" said Jake aggressively. Now that Sakura is very close to Jake, she saw that Jake have a number of scars and cuts followed with bandages.

"What are the scars for?" asked Sakura, Jake quickly step deeper into the shadow and the jacket he was wearing, he zipped it up fully.

"None of your business!" said Jake, Sakura took as a hint to get away and she trotted off. The battle instructor, Machoke came onto the field and everyone gather.

"I trust that you all of you are at least better than the standard batch," said Machoke in a sort of manly voice which gave him the impression or authority and power. Jake, on the other hand, was not so easily swayed by first impressions.

"How do we know that you are not the same kind of teacher that just talks," said Jake, with his arms crossed and face dull.

"Looks like you are the one with half the brains! Why not we have a battle?" said Machoke, who seems half impressed at Jake. Everyone else cleared the field and left Jake and Machoke on the field to battle. The bell went off and the battle begun.

Jake charged forward into a powerful tackle attack. Machoke, on the other hand, was more defensive and used Force Palm to great effect as he knocked out Jake but strangely he felt some of the tackle.

"Impressive, he must be about Level 5 of Combat Skill or he could not have even hurt me," said Machoke as he rubbed where the tackle hurt him. Jake got up and was slightly shaken.

"You are not half bad for a teacher," said Jake getting up and was actually wearing a broad smile on his face.

"I love the cut of your jib, little boy! Keep working hard," said Machoke, chuckling. "Now all of you, I hope you paid attention to our battle as I want all of to learn defensive maneuvers! Pair up and one of you tackle the other defend yourself." Everyone took a partner and when to a corner to have a small battle, Sakura was hauled by Rose who was uncomfortable to fight someone she is not familiar with.

"Ok I am going to tackle now," said Sakura as she spread her legs into a battle stance and leered into Rose's eyes before charging forward. Rose seems to be heating up beyond her capacity and just as Sakura's Tackle suddenly sped up. Rose unleashed a impressive Overheat on Sakura who unlucky got caught in it and her fur was set ablaze and the force of the fireball knocked her backwards.

"Oh no! Not again!" exclaimed Rose as she hurried to help Sakura who was cooked by the fireball. "I cannot believe that I did it again…"

"That… was… good…" said Sakura and as she coughed out ashes. William spurt the water on Sakura to extinguish the burning fur.

"Are you alright, little miss? Have an Oran Berry and take a break for now," said Machoke and he lobbed an Oran Berry at Sakura who caught it in her mouth and ate it. She limped to the stands and sat down with Rose beside her.

"Sorry Sakura… this happens whenever I try to learn ember," said Rose as she sat beside Sakura, looking both sorry and scared. Suddenly Arthur came by, he was tired from getting hit by William's Mud Slap. Sakura and Arthur are both Eevees and as suck they don't really feel much difference when they ascend to higher levels of combat. Machoke suddenly gathered everyone.

"Alright everyone! I am sure that you all are divided into two main groups so let's have a 2 on 2 battle to practice what you did!" Everyone now divided themselves back into their original groups and then Arthur and Sakura were in one group to fight against Jake and Key the Treecko.

"Remember Sakura just do your moves when I tell you too and for the rest just avoid and counter," said Arthur as they stood on the other side of the arena while Jake and Key stood on the other side. Jake was not bothering to look at Key or even bothering to discuss. The Bell sounded and Arthur charged off first but Key leapt up and Jake was not bothering Arthur and just stood there. Arthur decided to attack Jake first as he is valuable. Jake unexpectedly let Arthur tackle him but in the split second Arthur got electrocuted by a fearsome thunder shock attack. Sakura, who as at the back the whole time, was a little shaken by the look of Arthur being shocked.

"Now!" yelled Arthur. Sakura took the hint and after she tackled off Key, she burrowed while Arthur seems to whacking Jake with his tail but Jake was controlling his electric attacks and unleashing more and more powerful attacks as he build up momentum from the first hit. Sakura unleashed a heavy blow on both Key and Jake who were kept distracted by Arthur whose tail attacks began an Iron Tail attack.

"Alright! That's all for today! Great work from all of you!" announce Machoke as Sakura finished off Key and Jake was about to unleash something powerful and he was unable to stop on time and amazing unleashed Thunder which sent Arthur and Sakura both flying into the wall and embedded themselves into it by the shockwave. Jake landed safely then looked at how much damage he dished out.

After a few hours, Arthur and Sakura were back in their circular dormitory with their bodies wrapped up slightly in bandages. Jake was taken out of Combat Class and into the more advanced Combat Class as he more gifted than the rest but he needs to learn how to control his powers more effectively. Arthur was on probation for the Elite Combat Class as well. His leadership style gave him the edge in battle.

The next day, dark cloud rolled over Lavinder Town, covering the town in a dark shadow. The wind howled and day became as dark as night. Everyone decided to sleep in a little however there was a something fishy in the air as the typical morning was interrupted with several yelling noises.

"Sakura! Psst! Wake up before it too late!" whispered someone as Sakura slept peacefully. Sakura yawned and stretched before opening her eyes to see Arthur already awake and as she got down.

"What's going on?" asked Sakura, looking to see Arthur so worked up.

"Alice was here a moment ago and informed us that the orphanage got a new supervisor and he is not so kind as Alice is…" said Arthur. "Alice said we should tidy up the room before he comes in for inspection." Sakura climbed up the ladder and was just about to make the bed when the door slammed open, scaring Sakura into falling off the ladder and onto the floor and someone marched in. It was an Exploud with a check board. Sakura tried to scramble onto her feet but after a loud Roar attack, she cannot help but stay down and cover her ears.

"Alright! I am you're the new supervisor and I am doing a mock inspection of all dormitories for Pokémon who are lazy and undeserving!" said the Exploud and now he walked around each bed and making a lot notes and giving the occasional nod or shake from the head and when he finally came to Arthur and Sakura's bunk bed, he yelled and it shook the building and Sakura was still on the floor closing her ears.

"WHAT IS THIS?" yelled Exploud glaring at Sakura's part of the bed then to his check board. "SAKURA!" Sakura, who was under him, trembled in fright and curl herself tight into a ball. Exploud took Sakura by the scuff then leered into her face. "Your bed is unsightly! As punishment, you are not allowed Breakfast and Lunch and you are to clean the whole dormitory." If Sakura wasn't crying before, she is certainly crying now as warm tears flowed down her face and one by one hit the floor. Exploud roughly let her down in which she collapsed in a heap.

"Get to work cleaning! And the rest of you, to the Play Room," said Exploud and he hurried them away, leaving Sakura in her misery before she finally took up the bucket and rag from the balcony and started to clean the dormitory.

"Who is he… and why is he making our lives miserable…" said Sakura as she start to tidy her bed as the storm outside grew stronger. "Well I guess I better start speeding things up and I am so hungry…"


	7. Chapter 7

Things at the Orphanage was under strict command, Sakura was unlucky to get on the bad side of the supervisor and now she is hungrily cleaning out the dormitory that she and her group sleeps in. Arthur and the rest of the group tried to run back to the dormitory to help Sakura but they cannot leave the Play Room without Exploud accompanying them.

"Alright! Let's see how your punishment is going along," said Exploud bursting into the room and Sakura was just polishing the windows and she toppled over and landed in the bucket. The bucket tipped over and spilled the water inside. "Looks like you got more work to do! I will check in later and this room better be glittering or you will get it." Exploud left the room as Sakura got up and looked at how much she have to do. The water spilled over the floor and some went onto Arthur's bed. Since the water is dirty, Sakura decided to mop it up then change the sheets of Arthur's bed.

Meanwhile back in the Play Room, Arthur was in depression as he was helpless to help someone that needs him more than ever. Jasmine was also worried because she regarded Sakura as her little sister.

"Hey Arthur, come here please," said Jasmine and she was looking a little nervous. Arthur and Jasmine, with the help of their group held a discussion without appearing too suspicious.

"Yes?" asked Arthur, trying not to sound too desperate.

"I wonder what happened to Sakura, she should have finished cleaning by now and I think she is starving," whispered Jasmine as she started to open her bag that she carried with her. Inside that bag was a batch of Pecha berries that she saved for Sakura.

"I am starting to worry too, that new supervisor must have done something to keep back Sakura," said William, "but how do we check?"

"Just so happens, I have a plan to sneak out just follow my lead," said Oliver. He walked up to the Exploud and asked if he can get something from their dormitory and Exploud as expected, refused. Oliver slowly walked back to the group and whispered something to William. William walked up to Exploud again and began to pour out nonsense.

"Mr Exploud! Can I ask about you being a supervisor, I mean I think I might want to be a supervisor too someday! So what do I have to learn to be someone as great as you? Oh do you like to take care of kids…" started William who totally gave Exploud a headache and he yelled.

"STOP YOUR QUESTIONS!" yelled Exploud and using his Hyper Voice in the process. Using that moment of rage, Arthur, Jasmine and Oliver all snuck out of the room undetected and they made a beeline to the dormitory. Only to find their dormitory in ruins and Sakura passed out on the floor with the bucket on her leg.

"Sakura! Are you alright? Speak to us!" asked Arthur rushing over to her. Jasmine took out one of the Pecha berries and stuffed it into Sakura's mouth and she opened eyes.

"Oh, did I faint? I guess I better finish up the cleaning," said Sakura and when she got up the bed she and Arthur slept collapsed.

"How did that happen?' said Jasmine before Oliver fired his ember attack then something caught on fire and it was Kecleon who was sabotaging all of the things in the dormitory to tire out Sakura.

"What are you doing here!" yelled Oliver, Kecleon quickly disappeared and he escaped. Sakura, on the other hand, kept cleaning. "Are you brain dead or something? Sakura, stop cleaning! We need to tell Alice!" Sakura dropped what she was doing and went with Arthur, Jasmine and Oliver to find Alice but strangely by the background of heavy rain, the school seemed like a place full of sadness and grief and unlike the usual happy and peaceful place.

"Jasmine? Arthur?" said someone and from the darkness, Alice ran up to them with a terrifying look on her face. "All of you listen to me… You all have leave Lavinder Town and head to SunGrove City's Orphanage and give this letter to principal there but the route you 4 have to take is by going through Florinda Town. Now Go! GO!" Surprised at the request Sakura took the letter and the four of them dashed for the exit but as they raced through the hall way Exploud blocked them.

"So four little naughty kids, didn't obey the rules," mocked Exploud and he tried to launched a Hyper Voice at them but Alice blocked it with her Icy Wind. "Huh? I thought I took care of you!"

"You kids go!" yelled Alice and they ran for their dear lives into the rain. By the window of the Play Room, the rest of the group looked at the four of them as they escaped.

"Good luck you all! Good Luck..." muttered the rest of the group as the faint silhouettes of the group slowly disappeared from view and into the grey mist of the rain.

"Wait a minute, what about our parents?" asked Jasmine as they reached outside the shelter of the closed post office.

"I don't it matters but I don't know why must we go to SunGrove by Florinda town," said Arthur who was helping Charmander to get a cover for his flame. Sakura, who was holding onto the letter, opened it and took a look. "Sakura? What is that?"

"The letter we are suppose to deliver, it mentions something about a prophecy and Pokémon Raiders," said Sakura peering at the letter as she tried to understand the situation. As they figure out what to do next, they heard voices and they decide to hide inside a big box.

"I could have sworn that those kids went here!" said someone. A couple of Pokémon were talking from Arthur's point of view. Due to Sakura and Arthur's extremely sensitive ears, they heard the conversation clearly despite the heavy rain.

"We have to stop them for getting the word to the other cities!" said the other, "Fortunately, I instructed those idiots to block the road to SunGrove from here." Soon they left and Arthur, Jasmine, Oliver and Sakura toppled out of the box.

"What are they trying to say?" said Jasmine, "Well do any of you have a map?" They don't really have a choice since they don't have a map, they set off blindly into the road to Florinda Town where they will transfer to SunGrove.

"Looks like this rain is hammering our vision, we need to find shelter for the night," said Jasmine as they looked blindly around them, unable to tell if its day or night.

"Hey! There's a hollow tree and a leafy bush!" said Sakura and they headed for shelter under it.

"It's not very roomy but it will have to do…" said Oliver and they nestled in the hollow tree and leafy bush. Sakura, who was already tired and hungry went to sleep quickly and Jasmine cuddled in her tail like a cushion in the Leafy Bush while Oliver and Arthur slept in a similar fashion in the Hollow Tree. They all slepted until morning and the first morning dew dripped onto Jasmine's nose while they slept half hidden in the natural formations.

"Oh its morning?" said Jasmine as the sunlight shone through the leaves and made beautiful patterns on grass. "Sakura… Sakura! Wake up!" Jasmine used her leaf to whack Sakura so that she will wake up.

"Oh?" said Sakura and then she realized it was morning. "It's morning." Jasmine got up and woke up the boys in the hollow tree and soon after they got their bearings, they started to walk down the road to Crystal Forest. Crystal Forest was well known for the various crystals and jewels that can be found above ground level and it also have a huge Crystal in the forest's core which when sunlight hits it, it can beam down to all the well-placed natural crystal mirrors to form various rainbows just like in the human world. The Forest's crystals were made by a natural process which involves the usage of rainwater and the minerals in the soil.

"Ok we should be in Crystal Forest by now, judging by those glowing crystals," said Oliver when they entered the forest. Arthur and Sakura both suddenly heard a movement among the bushes around them.

"Everyone stay alert, I hear something in the bushes," said Arthur.

"I agree with Arthur, I hear it too," said Sakura. Then suddenly a group of Spinarak leapt out and surrounded them.

"We found them, leader!" exclaimed one of the Spinarak and Ariados came out behind them.

"Capture all of them and send them back to Lavinder Town!" said Ariados and then the Spinarak one by one turned so that their backs faced the quadruple and fired String shot attack at them. Sakura suddenly unleashed a force and the force formed a barrier that shielded them for the String shots.

"That's Protect!" exclaimed Oliver and Ariados at the same time. Sakura tried to hold it as long as she can but the move is draining her quickly as it was a move beyond her Combat Skills. Ariados used Night Shade and it tore through the Protect like a hot knife through butter and it also hit Sakura causing her to fall backwards.

"Ugh, I tried my best but I didn't hold it..." said Sakura getting up but she was heavily weakened by using Protect.

"Arthur! Only you and Sakura can escape this and reach SunGrove so you two go!" yelled Jasmine as she and Oliver fought the Spinarak hunters. Arthur and Sakura used whatever energy left and used Dig and escaped the scene and reappeared somewhere else.

"I hope that they will alright..." said Sakura as they continued on the road to Florinda Town. By late afternoon, they arrived at Florinda Town. Florinda Town was a glorious capital city and it was the former location of Treasure Town but they renamed it Florinda Town after it was destroyed in a horrible catastrophe years ago (For that story read my Eevee's Adventures Story)

Sakura and Arthur both came out of the forest and when they approached the gates, the guards stopped them.

"Halt you two! Identify yourselves!" said the guard Pokémon, Marowak to the both of them. "Are you from the Pokémon Raiders, who invaded Lavinder Town?"

"No but we are Orphans from Lavinder Pokémon Academy, we need to go to SunGrove by this way!" said Arthur, trying to explain what happened to the guard who then allowed them to end into the city but to stay for that day as it was getting late so Marowak took them around to ask for a room. Until they came to the last house which is on Sharpedo Bluff which is a cliff side that looks like a sharpedo and inside it is hollow.

"Excuse me! Can you take these kids in for the night?" asked Marowak as he knocked on the door.

"Ok, I have room!" said a very elegant and gorgeous Glaceon and a Eevee that is about her size and he have a cresent moon symbol on his fur coat.

"Thank you Melody, you been very kind," said Marowak.

"Not a problem," said Melody The Glaceon


	8. Chapter 8

Sakura and Arthur both descended into the warm confines of Sharpedo Bluff Base with the Glaceon who agreed to take them in for the night, Melody.

"Excuse me, Kyle! Help me clear out the storage room, we got guest for tonight!" yelled Melody and the Eevee came out of a room and then he went into the other room. "Thanks!" Melody called out before she went and get things ready for night time.

"Thank you very much Miss Melody, for letting us stay," said Sakura. Arthur was sitting quietly and overlooking the sea as the waves washed the sand on Florinda Beach. "Arthur, are you feeling ok?" asked Sakura as she nudged her head gently into Arthur's fur coat. Arthur jumped slightly when he got nudged by Sakura but quickly recovered and returned to his original position.

"I was just thinking about what are those bad guys doing to Jasmine and Oliver," Arthur said as he expressed his worries when they escaped from the Spinarak Group and now they are in Florinda Town, famous for being the start of the Wiggytuff Guild as well as the legends of the Eevee siblings who fought for all life. Arthur and Sakura was not the only Eevee in the house as Melody and Kyle have three kids; Chloe, Ken and Eve. The three of them are born of subsequent days and different timings, like Ken was born during the night, while Chloe was born during the dawn and Eve was born during dusk. In addition, to their different ways of dressing, they are easy to tell apart from each other. They all sat down on the soft but lumpy straw that Melody and Kyle lay out for each night.

"Daddy, please tell us a story!" said Eve excitedly while making both Chloe and Ken look eager as well. Eve was the youngest of her brother and sister. Eve wears Twin Music Broaches around her ears, which is pink on outer rim while purple in the inner core. The Broaches looked rather old and tainted when they are inspected carefully.

"Eve! Don't be childish!" said Ken and Chloe who was aware that they have other guest in the house but they seem to fail to notice the fact that Sakura and Arthur are about the same age as them.

"It's alright, Ken… Chloe. So what story you want to hear Eve?" asked Melody who kept her temperature in check so that nobody around her became too cold.

"Hello everyone!" started a new voice from the staircase. The three kids suddenly yelled for joy, "Uncle Pikachu!" A Pikachu, who was about Melody and Kyle's age, came down carrying a treasure bag.

"Back for a visit again?" asked Melody getting up and her fur seems to glitter by the night starry sky. Pikachu was Melody's partner when they was younger and Exploring as a Exploration Team. Melody was married to Kyle and Pikachu was invited as an official Teacher for the Wiggytuff Guild so they all went their separate ways. Melody stayed with Kyle to take care of her children but soon they can all explore together like old times. With the PokéWorld still on edge of the incident that happened years ago, new dungeons as well as new places popped all over the world. Pikachu always brought back presents for Ken, Chloe and Eve.

"Did… you two gave birth to another two?" asked Pikachu as he came in and saw 5 Eevee instead of the usual 3. Melody and Kyle both burst into laughter while Arthur tugged on Sakura's tail, trying to tell her that they should sleep in early and not interrupt the loving family. Sakura clearly got the message and she softly muttered, "Thanks for the hospitality, we will be going to bed and leaving first thing tomorrow."

It was unclear to them if Melody, Kyle or even anyone heard Sakura but they silently left the warmth of the living room and into the cruel depths of the storage room where they found a couple of straw which made up their beds. As they settled, Arthur can vividly see a tear leaked out of Sakura's eyes with her mouth in a small smile.

"Are you alright?" asked Arthur as he came over and wiped the tear away from Sakura's face which is now red and wet. Sakura sniffed then said, "I am fine. It is just… I had never thought having a family is so… happy." Sakura's drops of tears slowly became a waterfall. Arthur slowly approached her and placed his paw on Sakura's shoulder. "You still have me and my family," said Arthur, trying to show Sakura that she is not alone at all. Sakura cleared away the rest of her tears before they both sunk into a peaceful sleep in the silent Storage room.

The next morning, Sakura and Arthur was up bright and early. The sun has not even risen above the horizon and the sky is still dark and the last illuminations of stars are starting to fade. "Are you all set Sakura?" asked Arthur as he left the note on their beds. Sakura kept the letter inside her fur coat before they quietly tiptoed for the exit. But their plans went wrong when they saw Melody was already awake. Melody seems to be packing something from what Sakura and Arthur can see from the opening from the door.

"Oh you two woke up already?" said Melody while her back was facing Sakura and Arthur. Arthur almost thought that Melody had eyes at the back of her head. "I made you two some food for the journey," said Melody and she handed them both a large bag.

"Thanks for all your help," said Arthur, grateful for all that Melody and her family have done for them. Sakura took the bag then there was a knock on the door and a bossy voice roared down the stairs.

"Open Up!" Melody, senses sharp, told Sakura and Arthur to hide inside Chloe, Eve and Ken's room. When she went up to answer the door, she met face to face with Ariados and two of his Spinarak group.

"May I help you?" asked Melody, who can sense danger for Sakura and Arthur. Ariados was not helping himself by talking in a bossy voice.

"I am looking for two Eevees who came here yesterday," said Ariados who was leering into Melody's eyes. Melody was a little hesitant in replying but managed to squeeze out a string of words.

"I cannot say I have no seen two Eevees as I have three kids and I don't know if they came here yesterday," said Melody causing a outbreak of mental confusion for both Ariados and Melody herself.

"Does it mean you seen them or…" asked Ariados before Melody simply slam the door in their faces. Ariados was not pleased and he sliced the trapdoor in a cross cut and the wood crumbled, giving entry to the three hunters. Melody's eyes, was kind and gentle, now flared with a fierce flame and she launched a Glacial Ball that smashed into Spinarak and knocked him out. Ariados used cross poison and Melody dodged it cleanly then rebounded off the wall and landed softly on the ground. The other Spinarak used String shot and he only knows that attack along with Tackle and Bug bite as well as Poison Bite. The String Shot was close to getting Melody trapped but Melody's instincts got her out safely.

"I see that we are facing a expert explorer," said Ariados, who seems to be laughing and he leapt up and began to fight Melody differently from his starting attacks. He powered up his claws with Razor Sharp and began to use Rage Whirlwind. The fast cuts and slashes was extremely tough to dodge and evade but Melody have moves that she made herself. She used Icy Wind to surround herself and her fur became as hard as steel and sharp as knives. Melody made use of her ice armor to absorb most of the blows while she used Ice Tail and it impale through the Rage Whirlwind and knocked back Ariados. Melody's armor melted as she stood still then suddenly she got bitten with a Poison Bite by the other Spinarak. Melody started to feel dizzy and her movements slowed down heavily.

"Looks like you lost, now where are they?" said Ariados as Melody withered to the floor in agony of the Bite and Spinarak was warping up what he started.

"Mom, what's going on?" asked Eve as she came out of the safe confines of the room and as she came into view, Ariados pounced and grabbed her.

"Keep… your claws… off of her!" growled Melody, still struggling to maintain her consciousness from the pain and tight binds from the string shot.

"Then tell me where are they!" demanded Ariados, holding a claw to the side of Eve's neck threateningly. Eve was starting to panic and started to struggle against the grip but Ariados is holding her tightly. Suddenly someone blasted Ariados with a Shadow Ball from the stairs, causing him to drop Eve and allowing her to run back to the room. "Who hit me!"

"I did," said Kyle as he came down the stairs looking furious. "You all will pay for this!" and with that. Kyle's eyes turned completely white and then his body started to glow in a blinding light that lit up the house and made it brighter than the morning sun. The wind from the sea blew stronger with every second that passes. In that blinding light, Kyle was going through a sort of transformation. His ears split into two and took the shape of crescent moons, his Eevee fur coat twirled like a whirlwind then straighten up into another Crescent moon shape similar to his moon mark that was on his fur coat. His eyes became mystical and mysterious and his short Eevee legs became as long as Melody's but with a small crescent moon claw at the back. Lastly his tail, became long and at the tip of it was a another crescent moon and in the middle was a lunar orb that was swirling with energy.

"Kyle… you transformed…" muttered Melody who was staring at Kyle but not as his usual Eevee forme but as his Hybrid forme, Lunareon.


	9. Chapter 9

Kyle The Lunareon leapt up and unleash a Shadow Spirit which duplicated him and they both used a Moon Glaive. Their Crescent moon claws enlarged and they descended on Ariados and knock him out of the Sharpedo Bluff and into the sea. But after getting Melody unstuck from the cocoon, Kyle felt his body failing him and he got various static shocks when intensive results.

"Kyle, your Hybrid Form changed!" exclaimed Melody then she saw Kyle losing his strength. "What's wrong!"

"I think my powers have reached its limit and now I cannot sustain it anymore," said Kyle and then before they knew it, a ball of light came out of Kyle as he reverted into a Umbreon before passing out cold. Meanwhile, the ball of light flew out of Sharpedo Bluff and out to sea and virtually disappearing into the light. Later that day, both Sakura and Arthur bid a sad farewell with Melody and her family after a shocking unearthing that Kyle was the Eevee in the legend and now he lost his powers for good.

"I find them very cool, especially that their family had a hero!" said Arthur as they both walk down the path to Sun-Grove from Melody's house. Sakura was surprised that Melody and Kyle never told Eve, Ken or Chloe about that secret. The Sun was up in the sky and smiling down on them as they walked out of the exit.

"What a nice mom," muttered Sakura, clearly thinking of her mom and Arthur noticed it.

"I am sure your mom is just as nice," said Arthur, comfortingly. "Because she gave birth to such a cute daughter!" Arthur then felt himself blushing. Sakura turned to look at Arthur and sending him into a Stupid vortex. "Oh hey! Did I say something?" and before he knew it Sakura gave him a kiss to the cheek

"Thanks…" said Sakura softly before they set off again but Arthur was feeling that all of his dream had just came through. In that short moment when Sakura's well defined lip met with Arthur's cheek, he felt that time have stood still and the sweetness melted him down.

"Arthur!" yelled Sakura, breaking Arthur out of his day dreaming. Sakura saw that the path was blocked with Charm Berry bushes and she was terribly terrified of them as they make her all weird and whacky and moreover no control of what she will do. The pollen from the flowering Violet Charm Berries made her sneeze

"I think we have to go another way," sniffed Sakura, backing away from the Charm Berry Bushes.

"I think we can…" started Arthur but suddenly there was an explosion behind them and they saw a group of Pokémon coming their way. "Let's hide!" and they both ducked into a nearby bush.

"Wait a minute… isn't this a…" asked Sakura before she was a little too late to notice that she in the Charm Berry Bushes and the pollen from the flowers made her sneeze even more until someone came and pulled them out of the bushes.

"You guys are alright!" yelled Jasmine as they reunited with Sakura and Arthur and nearly squeezing them to death.

"Jasmine I think you are killing them!" said Oliver and Jasmine saw both of them turn blue but Sakura who was sneezing from the pollen, passed out cold. "Sakura? Er you ok? Sakura?"

"I think you killed her…" said a cold voice from behind Oliver and Jasmine, it was Jake the Pikachu.

"Oh yeah I forgot to mention, Jake was the one who helped us escape," said Jasmine. Back to the moment when Sakura and Arthur escaped from the group so that they all would not be captured in one try. Jake gave them a fight they never forget with all of his training from battle class and he controlled his attack perfectly. Arthur looked at Jake then suddenly an idea struck him.

"Hey Jake come here!" said Arthur, Jake grumbling at being order about. He stalked forward to Arthur. "Alright, now touch her back."

"What?" exclaimed Jake, "I am not touching her back! It's an outrage!"

"The other option is to wait here for her to wake up and by that time we would be in trouble," said Arthur. Jake unwillingly took hold of Sakura by her back and waited for the next instruction. "Now give her a shock!"

"What?" exclaimed Jake, "Are you out of your mind?" Arthur then stomped on Jake's tail and he gave Sakura shock that she woke up instantly.

"AHHHhh! Ow… that hurt!" said Sakura, "but thank you… JAKE?" Sakura got up quickly and Jake's hands parted with her soft and fluffy fur. As they all advanced forward, they walked passed by several Charm Berry Bushes and they all made Sakura sneeze non-stop.

"Hang in there, Sakura," said Jasmine, "It is blooming day for Charm Berries and there are about 200 more of them."

"Are…" started Sakura before she sneezed again. "Charm berries extremely common?"

"They are as common as Pecha Berries and they bloom very often too," said Jasmine and Sakura sneezed again and they kept going through the forest until they saw a Cave with a sign saying 'Crystal Cave, OFB to children.'

"What does OFB mean?" asked Sakura when she read the sign.

"I think it stands for Offering Free Berries to Children," said Oliver, thinking with his stomach.

"Or it could be Out of Bounds?" said Jasmine but Jake questioned her.

"Then where are the bounds?" asked Jake and everyone seems to agree with Jake that there is no bounds and decided to go in; Jasmine reluctantly went along. When they all went in, there was actually a small scribble on the sign which says: Unexploded TNT! Danger!

Crystal Cave is a cave where many natural minerals are found as well as it's one of Florinda Town's water sources for its underground spring. However recently, new and rare minerals are found deeper inside the cave and Pokémon have been using explosive to obtain them or make a place suitable for mining. With excessive use, the cave is now very unstable that it can collapse at any moment. Without this vital knowledge they entered the Cave. Using Oliver's tail flame to light up the way, they slowly made their way through the winding pathways of the cave.

"Hey look there are more minerals on the ceiling!" said Jasmine as the glittering mineral crystals greeted them. At the back of the group, Jake and Arthur was in a heated argument about what happened earlier.

"You should have told me what you were trying do," muttered Jake angrily to Arthur. "She could have thought I was trying to do something to her!"

"Well she didn't, did she?" whispered back Arthur, "It all went well doesn't it?"

"If you have told me what I was going to be doing, I would have taken care of the rest," argued Jake, "What if your happy-go-lucky technique doesn't work and it backfires on me?"

"Then I would handle it!" yelled Arthur and attracting the attention of the rest of the group.

"Then let's see how well do you handle THIS!" and Jake and he charged his tail with electricity and whacked Arthur in a Lightning Tail attack. Arthur retaliated by using a Quick Attack but Jake dodged it easily. Suddenly Jasmine shot something that looked like emerald green vines and they grab hold of Jake and Arthur and pulled them apart.

"Time Out!" yelled Jasmine, as the two of them continue to have a go at each other. Sakura sighed and then sat down somewhere then she realized that she had the lunch that Melody gave her back at Florinda Town.

"Do you two need a break? And have some food?" asked Sakura and the two of them stopped fighting almost instantly and Jasmine looked at Sakura with relief. "I will take that as a 'yes' then." They all gather around Oliver and Sakura who opened up the bag that Melody gave her and inside was boxes of sandwiches with a variety of fillings such as Oran-Pecha jam, Jelly Charm Berry and several others.

"These are amazing! Who made them?" asked Jasmine as she chewed the Jelly Charm Berry Sandwich. Sakura then told her about the family that they encountered.

"Wow she married a actual hero?" said Jasmine, feeling excited. Sakura still have no idea what was Jasmine getting at. She finished her share of Pecha cream sandwich before wandering off deeper.

"Hey! I think we are nearing the exit!" said Sakura cheerfully and it got the attention of everyone else. As Sakura was walking back, Oliver's tail flame lit up something that he was unaware of. Sakura was the only one who saw what it lit up. "Oliver! Your tail lit up something like a rope…" then she traced it and it led it to a barrel. "And its attached to something called TNT?"

"TNT?" yelled everyone except Sakura and they made their way to the exit but Sakura inspected the TNT.

"Oh wait, Sakura! Come on!" said Arthur as he went back and bit into Sakura's fur coat and dragged her with him as they tried to make their way out of the cave but then the TNT went off and then Sakura realized what was happening then got on her own legs and sped in front of Arthur. Arthur, on the other hand, felt extremely strange while sparks came out of ground that he just walked on and then he felt a need for speed and then before he knew it, he saw a imaginary ring in front of him and as he passed through he received a burst of speed and it's beyond anyone and he charged in front of Sakura and out of harm's way. Sakura, however, got caught in the blast and she flew out of the Cave and rolled on the ground before dropping down a cliff. The fall that Sakura experienced was beyond words as she fell down and hitting foliage from the trees and the world went dark around her.

"Do you think she survived?" asked Jasmine, holding the remains of the bag that contained the Sandwiches they ate.

"I don't know how could she have survived…" said Jake, looking down from the cliff. "And don't you even think of jumping down there!" Jake spotted Arthur going to the edge as if in a day dream but Jasmine got a hold of him via Vine Rope after noticing him. "Well we are almost at Sun-Grove Town… I will be ahead…"


	10. Chapter 10

The clouds began to weep and their teardrops fall down to earth, landing on leaves and formed dews or hitting the soil and making plants happy. Unlike the plants, Arthur and the rest of group was just like clouds, weeping for the death of one of their friends.

"There's a cave ahead… we can take shelter in there," muttered Jasmine sadly as the rain was getting heavier and heavier. Arthur actually muttered something but the sound of rain made it impossible to be heard. Everyone soon settled in the cave, using the remains of the bag to start a small bonfire to warm everyone up. Arthur went back to Crystal Cave and something caught his eyes. It's was glittering in the rubble, he went and swiped away some of the destructive remains and discovered a Key with a Sakura bow and the key blade is like vines.

"Isn't this… Sakura's ?" cried Arthur delicately holding the key. To Arthur, that key was a priceless treasure. "I will find you… one day…" That Key somehow gave Arthur a boost to his spirits and he felt confident that they can find Sakura and that is, more importantly alive. Arthur then noticed something when he thought back, he somehow dashed quickly and in almost no time at all reached out of harm's way. He turned to face the race and tried to focus a ring in his mind's eyes and then he saw it in reality. He then ran into it and he went into a quick dash and he zipped back to the cave. His sudden appearance nearly gave everyone else a heart attack.

"Woah! Arthur? How did you do it?" asked Oliver as Arthur zipped inside the cave at supersonic speed. Arthur didn't bother to explain and just show them what he found. "Isn't this Sakura's key?" asked Jasmine, inspecting the key and the same realization hit Jasmine that Sakura might be alive.

"We will find her… somehow…" said Arthur, taking the key back and keeping it safe in his fur coat. After that everyone went to sleep as the cold winds blew into the cave and giving them a restless night sleep.

The next morning, the leaves contained drops of dew and they glittered in the misty sunshine. From the cliff outside the exit of Crystal Cave, Sun-Grove Town can be clearly seen in the golden sunlight. Sun-Grove Town was well known for all-year around summer despite contradicting forecast predictions from professionals from other towns. Sun-Grove is situated in the middle of a Grove and near a spring which is what the local call Sun Falls as there is a colossal waterfall. There are several folklores related to Sun Falls and most of them are attributed to the goddess of the sun which was part of their belief. Sun-Grove was rather medieval and stone towers and castles stood with the natural surroundings. Back at the cliff outside Crystal Cave, There was a small orchard near where Sakura fell and it belonged to a family of farmers who made use of the sunny weather to grow summer seasonal fruits and vegetables.

"Hey Li' Sis! Bro! Fetch me some apples from the orchard!" yelled someone from inside the barn. And a twin of Plusle and Minun got out of the barn with a basket and into the orchard.

"Yesterday's storm is bigger than that mountain!" commented Minun as they made their way into the orchard and they started to climb onto each other to reach the apples and putting them into the baskets. "Hey Tea! There are more perfect apples deeper into the orchard"

"Alright Tae, wait for me!" said Tea the Plusle, following her twin brother, Tae the Minun. They never went deeper into the Orchard before but most of the perfect apples are found there. They soon entered the deeper part and the trees are all packed with Perfect apples. Tea set the basket down then saw Tae signaling to her. "Here I come!" Tea ran towards Tae at top speed and Tae knelt down and when Tea leapt onto his hands, he pushed Tea to the tree where she grabbed two apples and landed by the baskets.

"Impressive Tea!" said Tae, coming back to Tea who was placing the apples into the baskets. "Hey let's go catch a look at the sun before we go back!"

"Alright!" said Tea and they went into a clearing but when they get there, they saw something unconscious on the grass. "Hey Tae, what is that brown thing?" Tae went up to it and saw that it have brown and cream colored fur and it was messy with twigs and leaves all over it. Tae noticed that one of its legs seems dislocated.

"Tea! Call for help, this little fella is in serious trouble!" yelled Tae and Tea quickly dashed off into the barn with the basket to get help. Meanwhile Tae took out his handkerchief and found a piece of wood and he made a cast for the dislocated leg and he tried to carry her back to the barn. "I wonder who this is… but I hope she is alright."

Back at the Cave by the Cliff, the group was beginning to wake up from their slumber and getting ready to depart down the cliff and to find Sakura. Arthur looked down the cliff and he couldn't see Sakura but he knew that she must have landed somewhere in the forest.

"Well guys, I can show you around Sun-Grove a little, I lived here before," said Jasmine grabbing a rope ladder that was attached to the side of the cliff and tested it to see if its still sturdy.

"Why didn't you tell about this rope ladder earlier!" said Arthur.

"This rope ladder must only be used sparingly or it will most likely to break when we are using it!" said Jasmine, climbing down the rope ladder. Arthur followed soon afterward but when Oliver went on it, the rope start to tear apart. Oliver wisely retreated back up the ladders as it tore apart.

"The ladder broke!" yelled Oliver to Jasmine who is just outside the orchard.

"There is another cave system that can take you down here but be careful as its extremely wet," yelled back Jasmine. "Arthur and I will go and find Sakura!"

"Alright! Good luck!" finished Oliver as he and Jake went into the cave system while Jasmine and Arthur went around looking. Back at the barn, Tae brought Sakura back while Tea's parents called the doctor.

"Hey look! It's my parents!" said Jasmine after she saw a familiar Bayleef entering the Barn with another familiar figure of Ivysaur. "Let's go meet them and they might help us!" Arthur agreed with Jasmine completely that if they meet up with Jasmine's Parents, they would be one step closer to finding Sakura. As they approached the Barn door, they can clearly hear voices.

"What happened to this Eevee! Its like she jumped off a cliff!" asked a voice that Jasmine recognized as her mom's. "Her condition is terrible! A dislocated leg and its fractured! And don't even get me started on the…"

"It's ok, darling! I think they got the picture very clearly," started a second voice which Jasmine automatically recognized as her dad's. "I mean you stated the worst of all the injuries on this girl and not to mention you was just about blab out her little secret!"

"Secret?" whispered Arthur to Jasmine. "I am positive that the female Eevee they are talking about is Sakura but what secret?"

"Sorry, honey… its just that… Sakura here suffered a lot even before she was even born," commented Bayleef. "Anyway I think we can take her to our house for her to recover, thanks for finding her."

"I think that's our cue to HIDE!" whispered Jasmine and pulling Arthur down with her into a bush but they toppled out the other side and colliding the twins, Tea and Tae. As Jasmine's parents, Rita the Bayleef and Barry the Ivysaur, walked by and saw vaguely Jasmine and Arthur as well as Tea and Tae.

"Jasmine? Sweetie?" asked Rita, peering over the bush and then clearly seeing Jasmine, Arthur, Tea and Tae. "You never told us you were coming to visit!" Arthur then saw Sakura resting on Rita's back.

"Sorry but there was a sort of a problem!" said Jasmine, "Can I see Sakura for awhile?" Rita, with the help of Berry, lifted Sakura down from her back and set her down. Jasmine took the letter from Sakura's fur coat.

"May I ask what is the big secret about Sakura?" asked Arthur. Berry and Rita then noticed Arthur.

"Oh you must be Arthur!" said Rita, happily but then suddenly dropped her volume and tone by a huge level. "I think its safer if I told you at my place." Arthur took out the key he kept safe and put it back on Sakura's neck where it rightfully belongs. They all walked down Floral Lane to a house that is decorated from top to bottom with various flowers and filled with spiritual floral aroma. Rita gently tucked Sakura into a comfy bed before meeting Arthur and Jasmine in the living room.

"Mom… Dad… what have you been keeping so secret for Sakura?" asked Jasmine assertively. Rita and Barry looked at each other then took a sip of herbal tea. "Well it all started like this…" started Rita.

During half a month before that Sakura was being born, Rita was in the operation room for the nearly 50th time that day. Rita met Sakura's mother's eyes as she gave birth to Sakura and she was in a lot of pain. "Please… give this… to my child!" puffed Sakura's mom as she held out the key on a string. Then the heart tracker suddenly showed a heart rate of zero. Sakura's Egg was laid out properly and the other nurses took it to the incubation.

"She's dead…" commented one of the doctors. Rita, who was not convinced that Sakura's mom would do something like this to her own daughter, left the room in tears. She filled out the form and sent a letter to the father who was The King Of Sun-Grove as its related to the Queen getting a new child, Sakura.


	11. Chapter 11

"What? Sakura is the pri…" yelled Arthur before he got wrestled down by Rita, Berry and Jasmine. They all shut his mouth, along with the rest of his face for a few minutes before he nearly suffocated to death.

"What part of keeping it quiet don't you understand!" exclaimed Jasmine after getting off of Arthur.

"That's right and remember! We cannot and I repeat, cannot tell Sakura about this!" said Rita, in a panic. "I will go and check on her." Rita then got up and went up the wooden staircase into the room where she let Sakura sleep, only to be in time to greet Sakura because she was waking up.

"Oh where am I?" asked Sakura and when she tried to get up, she felt extreme pain in her left front left leg."OUCH!"

"You are in my home at Sun-Grove town and you are injured rather badly so take it easy," explained Rita, "What do you know of your parents?" Sakura was taken back at that direct question but she settled down comfortably before opening her mouth to talk.

"Well all I know is mom died when I was young and my dad disowned me, that's all I know," said Sakura, handling the story even better than the last time she said it because the last time she said it, she cried her heart out.

"Hold on, I think I can fix your leg in a matter of seconds, just sit still," and Rita unwrapped the bandage around Sakura's leg and then closed her eyes. Sakura looked at her in confusion. But her confusion cleared when she saw a gentle green glow around Rita and then the green light flowed like water into her leg, giving her relief and comfort. "There we go! You're all better." It was simply incredible with the aromatherapy ability as Sakura's dislocated and fractured leg began brand new.

"Wow! This is amazing!" said Sakura, getting up and jumping up and down.

"Remember you cannot tell anyone I did that, promise?" said Rita. Sakura stopped jumping around happily and looked cheerfully at Rita.

"Promise!" cheered Sakura and they shook paws before heading back into the living room where Berry was sending a few letters. Sakura gave Jasmine and Arthur great big hugs. Unknown to them, Rita was looking at Sakura intensively with interest.

"Ok since the two of you are still new here and before I can confirm how long until it's safe to go back, you three have to stay here," summarized Berry. "Jasmine can you show them around town and be back before dinner."

Jasmine took Sakura and Arthur for a small tour of Sun-Grove but before they do that they must rendezvous with Jake and Oliver who went into what the locals call Flooding Den Cave. That Cave was given that name as it is constantly flooding and according to their history, it was used as a torture and death chamber during medieval ages and it is still used in secret. Jake and Oliver were just exiting the cave when Jasmine, Sakura and Arthur went to the opening of the cave.

"Are you two alright?" asked Jasmine, "Oliver?" since Jake is a electric type, water types don't really affect him but since Oliver is a fire type and hates water. Jasmine felt better to just ask Oliver. Oliver seems to be scared half to death

"It was so dangerous, the cave started to flood as soon as we entered!" said Oliver, clutching his tail flame. Jake merely rolled his eyes.

"And I have to play babysitter and carry him all the way out of that Cave," said Jake angrily. Sakura looked at Jake while others treat him as if he was invisible. Jake was both depressed and angry that nobody cared about him. As Jake lowered his head and tiny beads of tears started to form but suddenly he felt a comforting pat. Jake's head shot up to see Sakura showing him sympathy and the gentle glow of Sakura's eyes met the hatred filled ones of Jake. The darkness within Jake's heart suddenly has a small flame of hope. Jake merely walked away from Sakura, they all went to a Ice Cream Shop for a snack before going to places.

"Hey isn't it little Jasmine!" said someone as they entered a dandy looking shop, with tables and chair set up and it resembles an Inn from the old west.

"Robert! It's been a while!" cheered Jasmine as her friend, Robert the Aipom. "The Usual?"

"Yes please and get some Oran berry surprise sundae for 5," said Jasmine but before she return to her friends, she went to closer to Robert and whispered something. "Make sure them surprise isn't Charm Berry Yogurt because one of them is allergic and believe me, you don't want to be in this room when she eats one."

"Steady on… I thought after you went to that Lavinder Town, you lost your old country accent but looks like I will be a monkey's uncle," commented Robert. "But wait… I already am!" they laughed loudly before Jasmine went back to her friends who took a sit by a table. While waiting for their Ice Creams, A Teddiursa came into the shop.

"Oh No… its Dally, everyone just don't look him in the eye or he will think that you and he are engaged," said Jasmine and they all turned their heads away.

"Ok Jasmine here is your Usual and the Oran Surprise Sundae for 5," said Robert, bringing them a big sundae and one Oak Berry Float.

"Now how much do I owe you?" asked Jasmine taking out the Money Sack from the bag, she grabbed before leaving her house.

"25 for the Sundae and 15 for your usual but since its been a long time you left, so yaw owe me nothing!" laughed Robert. Everyone took a spoon and took a small portions of the Sundae. Sakura saw a Violet colored jelly hidden in the Sundae.

"So have anyone found the surprise?" asked Jasmine, sipping her Sizzling Soda. Sakura dug her spoon into the jelly and ate it. "Looks like Sakura found it, so what is it?" But when the rest looked at Sakura, her eye suddenly became dreamy and lost. "ROBERT! What was the surprise?"

"It was Charm Berry Jelly, little missie, you said no Charm Berry Yogurt, didn't yaw," explained Robert.

"Oh sweet Sun-Grove Corn nibblets! Where's the storeroom!" called Jasmine, Robert pointed to a wooden door. "Thanks Robby!" Jasmine hastily used Vine Whip on Sakura and throw her inside the Storeroom before her craziness side effect of her allergy acts up. Arthur, Oliver and strangely Jake help bar the door and then huge banging noises can be heard as well as Sakura.

"Oh a large box! But there's a little bug on you, let me get it!" said Sakura and another huge bang came and people can only guess what happened. "Oh… this is sweet and tasty." Suddenly there was no other voice or sound for a couple of seconds before one last explosion came and then Sakura's timid little voice. "Oh did I act up again."

"You sure she isn't just acting there?" asked Robert. "I have never heard of this kind of allergy before in my dandy little life!" They all unbarred the door and let Sakura out and she was covered in pink ice cream.

"I am sorry about your Pecha Ice Cream, I will stay and work it off…" said Sakura, Robert only understood half of what Sakura said due to accent issues.

"The girl cover in Pecha Ice Cream, say what?" asked Robert. Jasmine whispered something to Robert. Robert went down to the storage then returned "Oh that is awfully kind of you to offer, little missie! But its alright, that Pecha crate was a week old anyway."

"Thanks a lot of that swell ice cream, Robert but we best be going before we start a riot!" said Jasmine and she shoved Sakura out of the shop and the rest followed behind. "Now to get you cleaned up and away from those boys…"


	12. Chapter 12

Jasmine hauled Sakura to a tiny spring and then she pushed Sakura into the water. Sakura, who didn't know how to swim, started to panic.

"Help! I can't swim!" cried Sakura as she splashed around in the spring. Jasmine smacked her paw to her face.

"Just stand up… it's as small as a kid pool…" said Jasmine and there was a embarrassing sight of Sakura just standing up and Jasmine was right the water is just up to her fur coat. "Now get yourself cleaned, Sakura, I will keep these boys from looking." Jasmine then left Sakura to deal with Jake, Arthur and Oliver. Sakura took a deep breath and lunge herself into the water. Sakura saw a peaceful place under the surface of the water. The rocks shone in the refracted sunlight, lighting up the spring. Suddenly something caught Sakura's eye, something pink floated across her face. It is her light Pink Amherst Sakura Key. Sakura heaved her waterlogged body onto the side of the spring.

"Ahh.. that felt nice!" said Sakura then she shook herself furiously to dry herself. Sakura took a look at her Key and stared at for a long time, thinking of her mom.

"Sakura? Are you done? Oh you are looking at your Key," said Jasmine popping out of the bushes. Sakura hastily tried to hide the key back into her fur coat. "Not to alarm you but we all know about your key necklace already…"

"But how did you know?" asked Sakura, slowing taking the key back out. Jasmine walked up to her and took hold of the key tenderly. "I thought I hid it perfectly…"

"You did hide it well but since you returned from the office and we all notice that glittering key," said Jasmine, taking a sip from the spring. "So if you are done, let's go to the Barnyard." Sakura thought that since her friends know about the necklace, she decide to wear it without hiding it in her fur coat anymore. They both went back to the group who was waiting furiously for them.

"Sorry, it took so long…" apologized Sakura and they almost immediately let it go. They went back to the Barnyard near where Sakura fell off the Cliff.

"Ahh you youngsters must be here to help!" commented a Raichu with a straw hat. "I be the owner of this Barn, Ned."

"Pleasure Ned! I am Jasmine…" said Jasmine but before she finished. Ned took hold of her arm and shook it in delight.

"Jasmine? Daughter of Rita and Berry? Oh sweet nibbles!" said Ned. When Ned finally let go, Jasmine was shaking but she recovered almost instantly. "Ok let's see what kind of things, you all folk can do around here." Ned looked around, around the kitchen, barn and the living room before Tea and Tae came in.

"Howdy y'all, Dad we need more folk to harvest the deeper Orchard and also plant the baby seeds!" said Tae. Ned looked as if an idea struck him.

"Ok! You!" said Ned suddenly pointing to Oliver, "Y'all get to help my wife cook!" Oliver then headed off to the kitchen where he is in charge of heating the charcoal and firewood. "Then you three can help Tae with the apple picking!" Ned continued pointing to Jasmine, Jake and Oliver who was then dragged out of the Barn by Tae, who was extreme strong despite his small size. "Now last you with the gem around your neck! You will be with Tea to help plant the seeds."

"Howdy there partner! Name's Tea!" said Tea to Sakura, "What's yours?"

"Oh my name is Sakura, glad to meet you, Tea," replied Sakura politely. Tea then went out with Sakura following her to the shed where they both took their straw hats and their tools. Sakura and Tea walked down a forest path way and Sakura was enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Sakura, ever since she was a baby, loved natural beauty of forest, waterfalls and groves. "Wow… this place is so peaceful and nice!"

"Glad you loved it here, now to start preparing the soil for planting," said Tea taking up a hoe. Sakura helped by digging with her paws. Meanwhile back at the Orchard, Tae was showing Jake how to use the electric powers they wield to get the apples. Jasmine was using her vine to tenderly pick the apples from the trees and place them in the cart Arthur was pulling.

It wasn't long until the gang had to leave but before they do, Ned kindly prepared a small snack for them. Sakura wasn't at the dining table and Tea told them that she was still planting the seeds. Arthur and Jasmine took Sakura's share and went to find her. Sakura was later found unconscious on the grass next to the seeds she and Tea planted.

"Sakura! Wake up!" said Jasmine trying to shake Sakura awake but Arthur had his attention elsewhere. "Arthur, what are you looking at? Help me wake her up!" but then Arthur growled and Jasmine saw a large figure appearing before them.

"So you are at weakling's pals huh?" said an Ursaring glaring at Jasmine and Arthur. "Tell me where is the Immortality Seed is!" Arthur had enough and used his Extreme Speed to deliver quick and dark attacks. But that Ursaring seemed different than a normal one, Jasmine wisely took Sakura somewhere safe while Arthur distracted him.

"Arthur be careful how you fight him! He seems different!" said Jasmine but Arthur was in a Rage and cannot hear her and continued to attack the Ursaring with everything he got. Suddenly from out of thin air, came 2 orbs that are sparking with energy appeared floating on the top of Ursaring's palms.

"Force Push!" yelled the Ursaring and when he collided the two orbs, Arthur felt himself being pushed backwards by an extremely powerful force.

"What was that? It was almost like Magic!" said Arthur, trying to stand on his feet after he was pushed back. Ursaring took the time that they are confounded by fact that he was using Magic, to summon 2 more orbs but they are more like living fireballs. Before they knew what hit them, Ursaring shot the two fiery orbs at Arthur and Jasmine.

"Heh… its just two fire balls, we can dodge it!" said Arthur but then the 2 fire balls split into 64 fire balls of the same sizes just before it hits them. With a burning flare flash, both Arthur and Jasmine was knocked back and badly burnt. Ursaring then slowly approached Sakura who he knocked out earlier and then when he was about do another spell, a bolt of light came from the shadow of the trees and it stuck Ursaring on the head. Ursaring then blacked and topped on the grass.

"How sad… so much promise and yet he chose to do this…" said a voice and a mysterious Xatu came out from the orchard. He walked towards Ursaring before he stepped on Sakura, "Huh? What… is… this?" asked the Xatu before using his claws to turn Sakura around and the Amherst Key can be clearly seen. "Wait could this girl be…" said Xatu but he decide to find the answer to that question later and then he went around to Jasmine, Arthur and Sakura one by one and erased their memories before he teleported with Ursaring to somewhere unknown.

"Hey y'all! Wake up! A COP AT THE DOOR AND HE GOT A WARREN!" yelled someone but was quickly interrupted by someone else.

"Tae why did you say that?" asked a voice, "there is no cop in Sun-Grove, is there?"

"I thought I give it a shot, it work on dad," said Tae. Sakura, surprising, came out better than Jasmine and Arthur who was both suffering serious burns and for Arthur, a bruise from the powerful shockwave of the Force Push.

"Do any of you remember what happened?" asked Oliver, inspecting the burns. "It must have been a powerful fire type to be able to give these kinds of burns." So they all swaggered off to the last place they need to visit for the day, The Sun-Grove Orphanage. Sakura, Arthur and Jasmine are suffering from a headache and they couldn't recall anything from the fight earlier with the Ursaring. The Sun was beginning to set and the sky is now pinkish-orange. They soon stopped in front of a building. It's bigger than most other buildings and it looks nearly broken down and you can easily see a chronology to it. Jasmine went up to the door and knocked on it and a Lopunny appeared at the door.

"Can I help you?" asked the Lopunny in a soothing voice. Jasmine took out the letter that Alice entrusted them to deliver to the principal of the Orphanage.

"Are you the head of the orphanage?" asked Jasmine and Lopunny merely shook her head and Jasmine openly handed the letter over to her. With the letter in her possession, Lopunny read it and then hesitated before she spoke.

"So… you all are from Lavinder Town, I presume?" asked Lopunny. "Well I am Ariel, may I ask where are you staying at?"

"We are staying at my parents house, Dr Berry and Rita's place," said Jasmine, "But we need to find another place for some of us as my house cannot account for everyone…"

"Well some of you are welcome to sleep at the Orphanage," said Ariel after thinking hard about it. With that, Jasmine took Sakura with her while Arthur, Jake and Oliver went with Ariel. Sun-Grove is very bright during night time as fireflies are nearly everywhere as Sakura and Jasmine walked back to the house.

"So how do you think of Sun-Grove?" asked Jasmine, Sakura failed to reply as she was taken away by the way Sun-Grove looks at night. "I guess you like a lot!"

"Yes, I love it here," said Sakura, enjoying the fresh air and the sound of crickets. Meanwhile as everyone slept peacefully, there is something amidst in the Castle of Sun-Grove.

"Countess, what can you make from this?" asked the Xatu who captured the Ursaring. He is talking to the Countess and somehow showing her a photographic image of Sakura and with her Amherst Key clearly visible. "Why is this girl holding one of the keys to our vaults?"

"I am not sure myself but I am making your job to find out for me and the king," said Countess Elise the Delcatty. "Report to me your findings and I will see to it that you are rewarded handsomely."


	13. Chapter 13

When the Sun rose up into the sky, the inhabitants of Sun-Grove seem to be up and busy. Today was a Special Celebration as of two reasons; today was the festival to celebrate the longest day of the year and also the king have announced that he will be proposing to the Countess later that day. With the two major occasions coming up, everyone is busy trying to prepare for it.

Sakura was still asleep on a beanbag that is twice her size and surrounded by a mountain of soft toys. Soon Jasmine came back in to wake her up.

"Sakura! Breakfast is ready!" said Jasmine and Sakura yawned then stretched out her legs before getting up. "Good morning! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did, thanks for the hospitality," said Sakura and they both went down for breakfast. Breakfast time is very noisy as Rita and Berry constantly fussing about how much Jasmine and Sakura eats. Sakura felt honored to eat with them because they treat her like their own child.

"Today we have a lot of things to do for the celebrations," said Rita to Jasmine and Sakura, "But we need you two to help us!"

"Ma… What are we suppose to do?" asked Jasmine unsurely as the last time she asked her to do something it was extremely long and grueling.

(Flashback)

"Hello Jasmine can you please do something for me?" asked Rita during a fine summer morning.

"Alright! What do you what me to do?" said Jasmine, taking up her bag and looked at her mom.

"Ok… I need to run down to Ned's barn and pick me 10 apples then go down to Sandy's shop and pick up my groceries and also there is a special herd that I order from Mrs. Leo, pick that up for me too and also…" Rita ran on and on. Jasmine stood there with her jaw dropped. "Please do it before supper time!" Then Rita left the room and gave her a long list to check everything and Jasmine sweat-dropped as she walked out of the house.

(End of Flashback)

"Don't worry Jasmine, your dad is doing all of those crazy things today!" said Rita and Jasmine heaved a sigh of relief. "But we are in charge of the decorations and plants for the celebrations along with a few others."

"Head over to town square and meet up with Tea and Tae, you know them don't you?" said Rita. Jasmine then took her bag and they both set off to Town Square. It was the typical morning in Sun-Grove; tranquil and soothing but nosier. Arthur, Jake and Oliver are all at town square waiting for Jasmine and Sakura to show up. Sakura kept her necklace under a blanket of fur to prevent it from getting dirty.

"Hey y'all!" Tea called out when she saw Sakura and Jasmine, "Sakura!" then Tea leapt up and landed on Sakura who then lost her balance and fell over.

"Oh hello Tea… good to see you too!" said Sakura as Tea was jumping with excitement. Tae had to step in and pull her back

"Tea what in blazes happen ya's?" asked Tae, "Pardon my sister, Sakura." Soon they all went to the fountain and met up with the rest of the group.

"Howdy guys, y'all ready to pull them decorations up?" said Tae and they each grabbed a box and went with a partner to decorate the Town Square. Jasmine and Sakura went together to decorate the trees, Jake and Oliver went to decorate the pillars that are around the Town Square. Tea, Tae and Arthur went to decorate the enormous fountain in the centre of Town Square.

Unknown to Sakura and Jasmine, they are being watched by someone. That someone then went deeper into the woods to talk with someone. He conjured a Huge Orb and then talk to it. Sakura held the basket while Jasmine used her vine whip to properly hang the decorations on the trees.

"Wow that looks beautiful, Jasmine!" said Sakura while Jasmine hung up a streamer. Suddenly a Shadow came up behind Jasmine and strikes her from behind. Both of them were shielded from sight from anyone in Town Square as they went to decorate the trees by the bushes. Jasmine was scared out of her skin and the secondary effect of Shadow Sneak came into play. Jasmine, out of fear, shot razor leaf attack at Sakura who was blind sighted. Sakura's fur got slightly shaved from the razor leaf and the force of the attack sent her rolling on the grass.

"Jasmine? What's wrong?" asked Sakura getting up and walked towards Jasmine.

"You keep away!" yelled Jasmine and Sakura earned herself another Razor Leaf attack. By the tone of her voice, Sakura can tell that Jasmine was freaking out due to fright. Before Sakura could try and help Jasmine, she was hit with a String Shot attack from behind and then was pulled back until she bumped into a sticky web and hung there upside down. Jasmine eventually shook off the confusion and then saw Sakura on the web.

"Jasmine, help me! I am stuck!" shouted Sakura, trying to get herself unstuck but the sticky web made it more and more impossible with every attempt. Just as Jasmine approached Sakura, she felt paralyzed and she fell down like a rag-doll. Jasmine can see purple electric threads surrounding her, along with a few balls of energy that are constantly zapping her.

"Good job, you got them both!" said Ariados and his Spinarak sidekick as they both came down from the trees. Sakura, who was struggling the whole time, stopped struggling completely as the sticky webs wrapped around her tightly.

"It's you! The crawlie that with the mean face!" said Sakura, unintentionally insulted Ariados who then sealed her mouth shut.

"You know she is right about the mean face part," commented Spinarak only earning himself a smack to the face. Ariados huffed before he turned to face the shadows

"Aren't you coming out?" asked Ariados, just as he finished talking, a Spiritomb came out.

"I love the way you planned this," said Spiritomb admiring his paralyzed prey. Jasmine found that she was able to talked and look around despite her body being paralyzed.

"What are you planning to do with us!" yelled Jasmine angrily, Sakura also tried to talk but Ariados had sealed her mouth shut. Ariados decided to ignore the both of them.

"Sweet dreams!" said Ariados before he knocked out Jasmine.

Arthur, along with Tea and Tae, were putting the finishing touches to the fountain. Jasmine slowly came into the sunlight and then called out. "Guys! I need your help! Come here now!"

"What's the problem!" called back Arthur but Jasmine strangely didn't reply and just simply ran off. "Wait up!" Arthur set down the box of decorations and then used his Extreme Speed to virtually teleport to Jasmine. Tea and Tae followed behind Arthur's trail. When Arthur caught up to Jasmine, she just toppled like a lifeless puppet and threads of purple electricity surrounded her. "What is going on here!" Soon he noticed something in the middle of two trees, it was Sakura.

"Mm tmr?" called out Sakura through the seal in her mouth. "gmmph mmhp oph!" Arthur slowly approached Sakura and then took the seal off. "It's a trap! Get out of here!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Arthur but he didn't wait long before he saw a Net coming down on his head. Arthur got out just in time thanks to his special ability to run quickly. "Oh that's why… sorry that I asked."

"Keep the web nets going!" yelled Spiritomb and Ariados and his side Spinarak kept throwing down the nets.

"Arthur, what the problem bud?" said Tae as he and Tea came into the forest area but they were soon caught in a incoming web. "Hey get us out of here!" Arthur simply ran quickly in circles around them and the net simply flew off.

"Avoid them if you can!" shouted Arthur as he continued to run around at supersonic speed. As another net came at them, Tea grabbed Tae's arm and hurled him to the side while Tae held on which in turn, threw both of them to the side. This went on for awhile and the two spiders are getting worn out but unlike them, Arthur is near fainting as Extreme Speed is draining his energy very quickly. Soon Arthur fainted from exhaustion. Tea and Tae are making miracles as their acrobatic stunts are not only conserving their strength but generating momentum and electricity.

"Now?" asked Tea as they are reaching a good time to do a finale move. Tae merely nodded and then they both jumped up. With all the gathered momentum and energy, they both performed a Double Discharge in mid air and it was very powerful as it stunned nearly everyone. The threads of electricity danced across the skies in a beautiful display and when they landed softly on the grass, they inspect the aftermath. They helped everyone to get back on their feet.

"Ugh… I guess I overdid it," said Arthur, scratching head. "So it's those guys again?"

"Yeah… they pounced on Sakura first before they got me," said Jasmine, "They put us way behind schedule… we cannot finish all the trees on time."

"Well we can help, we finished the fountain anyways," said Arthur. Everyone was soon busy but little did they notice that Sakura was not really paying attention. They hung up the ribbons and streamers fairly quickly and soon they are finished.

"Sakura, are you alright?" asked Arthur. "You seem lost." Without realizing, Arthur slowly blushed and his face turned red hot.

"I think your face is red again…" said Sakura looking at him and sending Arthur into a panic as he tried to hide it. But they soon heard trumpets from a distance, the royal family is coming. "Come on, let's go look at the celebration!"

"Hold it there partner!" said Jasmine to Sakura, "Ma and Pa might have other things for us to do!" Sakura followed Jasmine back to her house but unknown to her, the rest of the group heaved a sigh of relief. When they came out of the bushes, the royal family is already getting off of the carriage. The Countess Elise saw Sakura and her friends heading the other way.

"I wonder who she is and why does she have a key to the royal vault," muttered Countess Elise as she and the King as well as her daughter Marla The Skitty walked gracefully on the red carpet.

The night's celebrations went on, Jasmine and Sakura went to help out Jasmine's Parents with their lawn which is in badly need of a trim. Sakura, who enjoys gardening, lost any thoughts she had as she trimmed the lawn.

"I heard from Arthur that we can return to Lavinder Town tomorrow as Alice sent her a letter saying that those guys somehow packed up and left," said Jasmine as they worked hard on the Lawn. "Isn't that great Sakura?" But Sakura never reply mostly because she didn't hear Jasmine at all, instead she is singing softly and Jasmine can hear it very clearly.

"Sorry did you say something?" asked Sakura when she got a hold of reality.

"You have a gentle voice when you sing, did you know that?" said Jasmine.

"Oh I didn't know, I just felt like singing and I enjoy gardening," said Sakura, "Did you say anything else?"

"I will tell you tomorrow, come on let's go wash up and hit the hay," said Jasmine.

"We are cleaning a stable?" asked Sakura, Jasmine giggled then pushed Sakura back into the house.

Back at the celebrations, The Countess and her hired agent went somewhere quiet, away from the crowd.

"So what have you found out about that girl?" asked Countess Elise darkly.

"You will have to bend a few rules… I used my M Powers to get some answers from Doctor Berry and Rita while those kids are not at home," said Xatu. "She is the actual Princess Of Sun-Grove."

"I see…" said Countess Elise, "I will see to your reward but if you do something else, it will increase 10 fold."

"What is it?" asked Xatu.

"Get Rid Of Her…"


	14. Chapter 14

A peacefully sleep on the comfy and bouncy bean bag was interrupt by loud bangs. Sakura woke up but her eyes soon only saw darkness as something slapped onto her head.

"Ouch! What is this?" said Sakura pulling a book entitled; A Species' Guide To Ability Development. "Jasmine what are you doing?"

"I am packing! We are going back to Lavinder Town this afternoon, I need to pack my things," said Jasmine as she threw various items into a luggage then she shut it tight. "Aren't you going to pack anything?"

"What am I suppose to pack? I don't have a bag and also own nothing but my necklace…" said Sakura, stretching herself out and helped Jasmine tidy up the mess she created when she packed nearly everything she had.

"Are y'all gonna be in that bed all day?" called Rita and soon Sakura and Jasmine came out with Jasmine pulling her luggage "Y'all going back to Lavinder Town, not going all the way to the Aqua region."

"Sorry Ma, I just need a few other things," said Jasmine and they settled for breakfast, Sakura didn't join them as most of the food contained Charm Berry in one form or another and she is unable to eat them without a sort of side-effect. Sakura went out into the sunshine and it warmed her cool fur. The gentle breeze came by and Sakura's fur flowed smoothly with the wind. Sakura saw a Pecha Berry Bush nearby and went and pick a Pecha Berry and ate it whole. The sweetness from the Pecha Berry gave Sakura some energy for upcoming trips.

Unknown to Sakura, a Xatu is watching her from the shadow of the trees. Sakura was wandering around and enjoying herself. Xatu generated an Orb and a mystic substance flowed out and formed a bow and the orb became an arrow. He drew the bow and was about to take a shot at Sakura but something held him back. The look on Sakura's face made him hesitate. The purple eyes glittered as she looked around the path in awe and her smile is simply hard to ignore by anyone. Xatu waited too long as Jasmine came out and Sakura went with her before he could take his shot.

Jasmine finished her breakfast and pulled her luggage and they both went to reunite with the rest of the group so they can travel together. Jasmine passed Sakura a small purse that contained some special lunch for her that she made after she gobbled her own breakfast. "There are some supplies inside that purse for our trip; it doesn't hurt to be prepared."

"Where are we supposed to meet the others?" asked Sakura as she walked along the gravel path with Jasmine.

"Well we agreed to meet at the exit to Lavinder Town," said Jasmine as she stopped to wave to a few people who were aware that Jasmine was leaving after her short visit.

"Looks like you are very popular here," said Sakura as another Pokémon waved to Jasmine and Jasmine was inclined to return the gesture.

"Well I am well known around here because my parents are professional doctors," explained Jasmine. "And I spent your early years being on my Ma so many people seen me before I could talk properly."

"Do you find it hard being popular?" asked Sakura and Jasmine merely smiled back.

"It depends on how you at it and how you adapt to it," said Jasmine and soon they reached the exit where they met with the rest of the group.

"You girls took your time…" said Jake darkly, Jasmine pretty much ignore that comment. Arthur and Sakura went up each other and greeted each other formally. Oliver gave them both a cheery hello but Jasmine had her eyes fixed on Arthur and Sakura whom both are becoming shy around each other.

"So are we going to get going?" asked Oliver and everyone soon got on the road back to Lavinder Town. The route they are taking is shorter than the route they took to Sun-grove previously. They just need to go pass a location called Sun Falls.

"Wow… Beautiful!" said Sakura after a few minutes' walk and they came across the colossal waterfall. "I believe I came here before…" The rest was amazed at the sight of the waterfall too but all of them only heard stories, never seen it personally except for Sakura.

"It's simply amazing!" commented Jasmine as they went closer to the waterfall, "Let's take a break here and enjoy what nature has to offer!" Everyone agreed and went to sit at a ring of stones near the spring at the bottom of the waterfall. Sakura, on the other hand, was standing awe-struck at the sight of Waterfall.

Xatu was watching her from a distance and then decided to do a spell. ~Water and spiritual powers combine and summon me some Dragons of water!~ he chanted as he fused two different Magic elements, a vortex and an orb, together and he hurled it into the water near Sakura.

Sakura felt something strange approaching her from behind and suddenly when she turned around, she saw something hit the water. The water suddenly seems to have a mind of its own and it rose up above from the spring in a shape of a dragon. "Get rid of the Eevee with the necklace and those who stand in your way," muttered Xatu who is still unseen by the group.

The Dragons roared and that attracted the attention of the group while Sakura stood under the refracted sunshine of the dragons as more slowly came out. Sakura was paralyzed with fear and the Dragons soon took notice of her shaking and trembling.

"Sakura get away from there!" yelled Jasmine who was trying to get closer. One of the Seven Water Dragons shot its head after Sakura who was flinching with fear. Arthur used his Extreme Speed to get Sakura and run back to safety. "Oh sweet nibbles… Sakura you're safe, Arthur you saved her."

"I don't think we should be celebrating…" said Arthur and the Dragons had them surrounded. "Well looks like we will be getting some practice before we go back to battle class." The Dragons charged and everyone scattered. Oliver went with Jasmine while Jake went by himself with Two Dragons chasing him. Sakura and Arthur went together with most of the Dragons chasing them.

Jasmine threw a couple of Razor Leaf but they aren't affecting the Dragons at all. Jake's Electrical attacks seem to be the only thing that can affect the Dragons. Arthur and Sakura aren't doing anything but give the dragons some exercise. The dragons are practically living water and not much can hurt it.

"They are invincible! Nothing can defeat them!" called Jake as his stamina reached his limit and then he got smacked by a Water Dragon and then strangely held down by a watery substance. Jasmine and Oliver also got cornered by 3 Dragons while Jake was guarded by 2. The remaining 2 Dragons just cornered Arthur and one of them got hold of Sakura and held her against the wall. Sakura felt a force holding her against the wall under the watery claw of the dragon and she saw the dragon holding her is raising his other claw and was about the finish her off.

"Sakura!" called out Jasmine and Arthur and suddenly a beam came and it froze the claw solid and it cracked off and the dragon backed off in pain, dropping Sakura in the process. Something then came out into the open; it was wearing a cloak so nobody knows what it was. It shot another beam of ice at the dragons and they all froze solid and it shattered them with a swipe of its glowing blue tail.

"Amazing…" said Arthur as the Dragons melted in the sun. The cloaked figure suddenly turned to the group. "Thanks for saving our lives or Sakura's life to be exact."

~Some may be smart, some are dumb but all must dump that scene behind…~ chanted the cloaked figure and all memories of that dragon battle are erased and they all collapsed. The cloaked figure then removed her hood; revealing herself to be a Glaceon. "Well that went well… Now I need to get my stuff," commented the Glaceon and then she checked everywhere that nobody was watching. ~Tick Tock Time's up, Get me my precious things~ chanted Glaceon and then her bag teleported to her and she strapped it back on.

Hours passed before they woke up, Sakura was the first one to wake up and find that she was sleeping on the open plains next to the Waterfall under the starry sky. "Wha.. what happened…"

"Oh, you're awake…" said a voice that was as smooth as the waves of the sea. "Are you hungry? I found some Charm Berries nearby," Sakura turned her head around to see a Glaceon glittering under the moonlight. Sakura then also realized that she have a few leaves wrapped around certain parts of her body. "Oh you were hurt so I went and found a few herbs to form a natural remedy."

"Thanks for your generosity," said Sakura, "My name's Sakura, what's yours?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Sakura," said the Glaceon, "My name is Crystal and I was passing by when I saw you all passed out, looks like you all got into a bit of trouble with a tough opponent."

"I don't remember anything about before," said Sakura but before she can try and recall, Crystal took a Charm Berry and gave it to her.

"You must be starving, right?" said Crystal but to her amazement, Sakura backed away from the Charm Berry. "Is there something wrong?"

"I cannot eat Charm Berries… Sorry…" said Sakura and Crystal took away the Charm Berry and put it back into the basket she 'weaved'.

"It's ok," said Crystal, "Get some rest, May I ask where are you all going?"

"We are going back to Lavinder Town, we escaped there when the Raiders attacked," said Sakura.

"You are going to Lavinder Town too?" said Crystal, "I just came to Sun Falls to collect a few things, perhaps we can travel together."

"That's great!" said Sakura but then Crystal suddenly kept her book that she was reading before Sakura woke up.

"Well we better go to sleep if we want enough energy for tomorrow," said Crystal getting up and was about to walk off.

"Where are you going?" asked Sakura.

"Well I think I will take back my offer of joining you all, I guess I will see you all in Lavinder Town soon," said Crystal and before Sakura can say anything else, Crystal somehow vanished.

"There is so much I want to learn from you…" said Sakura before she settled down and go back to sleep.

Meanwhile somewhere in the forest near Sun Falls, Crystal caught up with Xatu.

"Going somewhere?" said Crystal as she appeared suddenly. "Did you how much you risked back there? You broke the Magic Law of not revealing magic to those who are non-magic folk or non-royalty!"

"You don't understand… I only broke one clause in that Law, the other part I never broke," said Xatu smiling into Crystal's eyes.

"I don't know what you are up to but I will watch over that Eevee you nearly killed," said Crystal. "You better honor the Magic Code or I will be the one who make sure you get into trouble."

"This is beyond the Magic Code now, girl," said Xatu, "I got someone who will get me immunity for any part of the Magic Code and you will be in for a full time job guarding her as I will not rest until I do."

"Guess we have nothing else left to talk…" said Crystal, turning away but didn't disappear.

"Something else you want to ask?" said Xatu as he saw Crystal hesitating to teleport.

"I do hope that you have a conscience under that brave front to me, that girl's death does not change anything, does it…" said Crystal and she finally teleported off.

"Does it… change anything?" asked Xatu to himself. "I do hope that what I am doing is worth it because that girl has every right to live… Magic Code number 385…"


	15. Chapter 15

"Ow… my head," groaned a voice as the morning sun rose up above Sun Falls and projecting a beautiful, magical rainbow display like it had done several times before. "Who made this leaf bed?"

Arthur woke up with a headache and noticed that he was sleeping on a comfy leaf bed. The rest of group soon responded to that awakening call. They all got out of their respective beds and gathered.

"Does anyone remember what happened?" asked Jasmine. Sakura told them the story of how they were all knocked out by a tough opponent and Crystal having to save them.

"But who is this Crystal?" asked Arthur who was clearly suspicious of the story. Sakura sighed and tried again to explain again.

"She is a Glaceon who came here to collect something and just happen to be passing by," said Sakura and before long, Arthur believed it. With most suspicions cleared, the team packed up and continues onward to Lavinder Town.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the shadows, there is something happening. Crystal confronted Xatu again.

"You got to stop what you are planning to do! This is wrong!" yelled Crystal. Xatu was merely smiling. "What are you smiling at?"

"I don't have to answer to you, girl," laughed Xatu. "And I don't have to put up with you either." Crystal's eyes narrowed as she trod curiously around Xatu.

"What do you mean by not putting up with me…" asked Crystal. Before she started talking, Xatu conjured up two Mega Vortex Elements in his claws. The two elements fused and Xatu launched his spell towards Crystal. Once the dust cleared, Crystal found herself alone and Xatu disappeared. When Crystal tried to move, she banged into what seemed like a wall.

"What the…" said Crystal. She tried knocking on the place she hit and every time she did, she can see a solid dome around her for a second before it blends with the background. "The Force-Dome Spell… but it only lasts 2 days," muttered Crystal as she sat down, her stomach growled shortly after. ~I hear my body growling for food, please don't make me eat my foot and give me something to be filled.~ After that chanting, a plate of pancakes appeared, steaming hot. "I need to work on making my chants sound better… At least I got these to eat now."

Meanwhile, the group walked down the familiar road back into Lavinder Town. After the major takeover, the town is in a bad shape; the buildings are either damaged or missing, Pok?on can be seen begging on the streets and finally there was a distress at the Pok?on Academy. The School was not in a stable condition; the walls are cracked, the building chipped in various spots and lastly all teachers suffered serious injuries. As they went through the front gate, the gate fell off the hinges upon touch.

"This looks bad… really bad…" said Arthur as they walked into the building. They soon find that what they knew of Lavinder Town had been turned into a ghost town. "Hey look its William! Hey William!"

"Arthur? Is that really you?" said a Mudkip who looks that he hasn't eaten in days. "And you guys are back!"

"What happened to you, you looked starved," asked Jasmine, looking extremely worried for him.

"Well when you all escaped, those raiders started to ransack everyone in town; taking food and belongings and the day before you arrived, they left," said William as Jasmine provided him with some berries she picked up. "Without any food, we all faced this famine and with all of our money gone too."

"Where's Alice?" asked Oliver. That question just sparked a look worry on William's face. "Did something else happen?"

"Alice… she is in the worst of all of us… she was constantly tortured and also beaten up," explained William. "It's even a wonder that she is still alive."

"What about the rest?" continued Sakura, William sighed and that assured that it is not good.

"The rest… well we all survived on what we can find… during these times, we helped each other and everyone survived but they are not well," said William, that just made the group feel more anxious about what they did to survive. "But we sent a letter to Sun-Grove, Florinda and also Icicle Castle to get help."

"Is there any replies?" asked Sakura, who was getting more anxious by the minute.

"Florinda and Icicle Castle agreed to sent help but we are not getting any form of response from Sun-Grove, the people were kind to help us," said William, "Come on, the others might want to see you all." William led the way to a room that was the Play-Room but it's dark, cracked and dirty.

"Jasmine? Is that really you?" asked Rose as she looked up. Rose looks like someone had tried to assault her and like the others, very hungry.

"Rose… Dear, here have some berries, in fact…" said Jasmine, "Give these to the rest." While Jasmine, Oliver, Arthur and Jake went around giving out food, Sakura went to have a talk with William.

"What is Icicle Castle?" asked Sakura, who is often curious of the outside world.

"Oh, Icicle Castle is a town that is constantly experiencing winter; similar to Sun-Grove in a way," explained William. "It's a haven for ice Pok?on who cannot adapt to the hotter climates."

"Wow… Winter all-year? That's sounds cool!" cheered Sakura. William laughed weakly before he continued.

"Thought you might say that, come on… Alice might want to see you all," after that William took the group to a place that they wouldn't usually be able to go to, The Staff Wing. They went into a room and they saw Alice unconscious on a bed. "Try not to wake her up." When William left, everyone just awkwardly stood around. But not very long afterwards, Alice woke up with a fright.

"Alice… you're awake," said Jasmine, rushing towards the bed. Alice sat up and slowly looked at them with tired eyes.

"You all are back… but I need to tell you all this," said Alice as everyone came by the bed. "Go back to your families and if they have room, take a partner. This school is not going to be running for awhile so while you are at that, go and have a holiday."

After a few tense hours, Sakura and Arthur both left the school along with Jasmine and Jake. They wandered out of town and found a pretty little cottage hidden within the dense forest.

"Mom! Dad! Cynthia! I am home!" called out Arthur as they entered the cottage. "You guys might want to take 2 steps backwards…" muttered Arthur and only Sakura can hear and she took the advice. Suddenly there was a bang and then everyone disappeared into a cloud of dust and only confusing yelling followed afterwards. When the dust settled, everyone except Sakura was in a strange position.

"Are you all trying to dance?" asked Sakura and she sat up while they all straighten up.

"Welcome home, Arthur, are these your friends?" said Cynthia the Leafeon while the aroma came from her leaves. "This must be Sakura! Haven't grown up much since I last saw you," commented Cynthia as she moved actively, inspecting Sakura.

"Yes Sis, that's Sakura! These two are Jasmine and that is Jake," said Jake while pointing to each of his friends. "We need to stay for awhile until the school is back."

"Not to mention we should go on a long vacation," said Jasmine and there was a moment of pause before someone said something

"Did you say vacation?" asked Cynthia while her parents get familiar with the others. "I heard that Icicle Castle is nice this time of year maybe you all should go."

"I don't feel like travel after that last one…" said Jasmine and Jake but Sakura was getting excited when she heard that she might be able to visit Icicle Castle. After the introductions, everyone scattered around the cottage and the huge backyard. Sakura and Jasmine went with Cynthia to her room while Jake and Arthur went to their room. Cynthia's room is very spacious and it's uniquely designed and decorated.

"I don't see any other bed…" said Jasmine but before she can finish Cynthia pull down 2 other beds from what looked like dresser "Oh so that's where it was! That was very unique!"

"I usually don't pull them down this early so that I got some space," said Cynthia as she pull the beds back up and into the dresser. "You can just put your stuff in that corner," As Cynthia's vines pointed to a shelf under the window. Jasmine merely dumped her bag there and they all left the room to enjoy themselves. Most of them went outside to enjoy the passive evening. Sakura went to the flower patches and she took a look at the flowers. Without even realizing it, she hummed a tune and it woke up the flower to full bloom, Cynthia and Jasmine saw it in plain view.

"Amazing… That's Heal Bell, which ability is rather rare among Eevees," said Cynthia as she inspected all the blooming flowers, "And it's a rather powerful ability."

"Really? I didn't even realize that I was doing it, I was just humming and suddenly these flowers came to a bloom," said Sakura in a panicking voice but Cynthia calmed her down.

"Everyone is special in their own ways, I think it's getting dark," said Cynthia and they went back in for a warm dinner.

As they are eating, Arthur's mom, Nicole brought more food to the table. Everyone helped themselves to a serving of a warm Oak Berry pudding. Sakura and Arthur were talking to Samuel.

"So you two are going to Icicle Castle first thing tomorrow?" repeated Samuel as his yellow ring on his body glowed with the night.

"Yeah Dad. it might be a good chance to go, Icicle Castle is the most beautiful this time of year," explained Arthur. "Plus I think Sakura would love to go."

"If it's not too much trouble…" said Sakura softly but only to be left unheard. Then it was settled that Arthur and Sakura will travel to Icicle Castle first thing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of night, Crystal had just cracked through her dome.

"I hope I am not too late to save her…" muttered Crystal.


	16. Chapter 16

"We all ready to go?" called Arthur as everyone woke up at crack of dawn back at their hometown of Lavinder Town (except Jasmine and Sakura). "Come on Sakura! It will be winter before we get there!"

"Isn't it always winter at Icicle Castle?" asked Sakura as she came down all dressed in a fur jacket and fluffy earmuffs as well as snow boots. "Oh that's a joke right?"

"That's right! Good one right? Hahaha!" laughed Arthur while Sakura only giggled at that comment. They both grab their travelling bags and headed north down the road to Icicle Castle. It wasn't long before they encounter another familiar face; Crystal.

"Hey Crystal!" called out Sakura and Crystal turned around in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Before I answer that, did any of you see anything strange yesterday? Or things started attacking you without a good reason?" asked Crystal frantically. Sakura and Arthur looked at each other before bursting into laughter. "What is so funny?"

"I think you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Crystal!" laughed Arthur. "What you are saying is insane and can never happen!" Crystal just then heaved a sigh of relief while the two Eevee continued to howl with laughter.

"Ok that's good enough… I am heading back home to Icicle Castle for the Annual Season Celebration," said Crystal. "But what are you two doing out here? Going to Icicle Castle too?"

"Yeah, we are going there for a small vacation after what happened at Lavinder Town," said Arthur while Sakura was inspecting the wild flowers on the outskirts of Lavinder town. "So we can travel together I guess!"

"Yeah we can! Well let's get going!" said Crystal and the three of them went their merry way but lurking in bushes was Xatu and he is planning his trap for the trio. Xatu then started to look through his Arcane Spell Book and found a perfect spell for his trap and he moved quickly pass the trio to get ready. As they moved on, they started to feel colder as the wind blew.

"Brrr… it's freezing here…" said Sakura as the temperature dropped further. From the corner of Sakura's eye, she saw that Crystal was not even shaking but seems to be enjoying the cold weather. "Aren't you cold, Crystal?"

"No, in fact it is kind of cool. I am a Glaceon so the cold doesn't bother me too much at all," explained Crystal as they continue onwards. They saw a frozen lake bed in front of them.

"Wow that is beautiful!" said Arthur as he went closer and felt the ice. "It seems to be totally frozen… plus I feel thirsty."

"Well just lick the ice and let's go," said Crystal and Arthur licked the ice but his tongue got stuck.

"Help! Tongue Stuck!" called out Arthur vaguely and Sakura heard him and went to help.

"How does someone get a tongue unstuck?" asked Sakura as she looked helplessly at Arthur who was gently tugging his tongue. "Let's see how about if do this." And she rubbed her paws around the spot where the tongue was stuck and suddenly after a tug, Arthur accidently licked Sakura on the cheek. "Oh…" said Sakura as she felt the spot where Arthur licked her and both of them stood awkwardly on the ice and blushing.

"Sorry about that…" said Arthur as he back off into the grass and was waiting for Sakura to do the same but Sakura slipped and slide around the frozen lake.

"Can you two love doves get a move…" started Crystal but when she saw that Sakura was sliding along and Arthur was hopelessly running around. "Oh goodness… Hey shut your eyes unless you want snow in your eyes!" Sakura heard it and covered her eyes and suddenly Crystal breathes in and blew out a frozen beam and she formed a concave slide and Sakura slide onto the slide and makes a turn to the grass. "Now can we continue?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to cause so much trouble," said Sakura as she got out of the lake. "Let's go then." Arthur continued to blush while Sakura seems to have forgotten everything that happened earlier.

"Shall I tell you more about the Season Celebration?" asked Crystal and only catching Sakura's attention. So as they moved through the snow covered forest, Crystal started telling Sakura the legend behind the celebration.

It occurred nearly a thousand years ago, Icicle Castle was once a Wasteland and Pok?on are constantly fighting over food and water. It was a place of unfriendliness and suffering, distrust was the main feeling of the day and battling for survival was law. As weeks go by, one by one they died of starvation and there is less and less food and water until one day there was a wanderer came into the wasteland on her travels. Everyone was begging desperately to her for food and water. She smiled and simply planted a few seeds in the wasteland and told the locals not to eat them or die of starvation and finally left. As hours ticked by, the some of the Pok?on are getting too anxious and hungry and they ate some of the many seeds that the mysterious wanderer gave them. Finally as the morning sun rise came, a mysterious circle of light appeared around each spot where the seeds are planted and then they burst into fantastic trees full of fruits. The barren ground suddenly became grass and the nearby mountain suddenly shook and a waterfall came down and made a river near the Wasteland. With that fantastic miracle, the Pok?on realized that with all their fighting and distrusting, they were unable to work together to search for a solution that will help everyone. The day after the miracle, winter came down on the wasteland for the first time and it was beautiful as the snowflakes came down and suddenly an entire Castle and a town made of ice blocks appeared and thus Icicle Castle was given her name. So they celebrated that day, we call it the Season Celebration out of town but inside town we mostly call it the Miracle of the Snow Maiden.

"That's a beautiful story… The Miracle Of The Snow Maiden… Sound magical," said Sakura, entranced by the story. Crystal has a way of telling stories that it captures people's attention.

"Every year, one lucky girl gets to play the role of the Snow Maiden and perform the Winter Ballet which will bring in good luck for everyone," said Crystal. "I was lucky once to get chosen but I sort of messed up my Winter Ballet and that year, everyone called it the snowstorm year and I shamed my family... and called a jinx…" Crystal went on and silently crying to herself.

"Crystal… Are you alright?" asked Sakura seeing Crystal crying. "Why are you crying?" Crystal pretended to appear that she got an eyelash in her eye while truthfully in her heart, she was remembering the time that she slipped at the finale of her Winter Ballet and landed face first onto the ice rink and nobody bothered to help her up only her being humiliated in front of everyone and the previous Snow Maidens. "Crystal?"

"I am fine, let's go or we will be a little late for the celebrations and settling in," said Crystal and they proceeded forward. They soon saw the next landmark, the waterfall of Frosty Mountain. There is a spring at the top of the mountain and it connects with the waterfall to Lake Of Trust. "Well this is the mountain I said in the legend earlier."

"Waa… Amazing!" gasped Sakura as she got a cool spray of water from the waterfall.

"Yeah this is really cool and where do we go from here?" asked Arthur as he shivered as the cold wind came. "Wow it's really freezing!"

"Yeah, even I am feeling it now. Let's hurry to Icicle Castle and trust me, the place is warmer than it sounds," said Crystal and then they quickly went into the Waterfall Cave and suddenly they felt slightly warmer as the strong winds outside was making the temperature drop. "Oh I guess it was only the wind… Hey what happened to you two?" Crystal turned around only to find Sakura and Arthur unconscious on the ground.

"Nighty-Nite, little girl!" said someone before Crystal got hit with an orb and she fainted on the spot. Xatu then emerged from behind the rocks but he wasn't alone. A Leafeon also came out with Xatu but strangely his eyes are abnormally denser. "You know what to do…"


	17. Chapter 17

Several hours from the mysterious attack, Sakura and Arthur suffered from a gigantic headache as they woke up on a stone cold floor. They are inside a room with steel bars fitted around them, there was little light and it was coming from a few cracks from the wall. Crystal also lay on the floor but on straw instead of the stone cold floor. They don't have their jackets or bags either.

"Ouch, what hit me?" asked Arthur as he yawned and he felt something slap him in the face. "Why is it all furry and warm?"

"I think you are sniffing my tail, Arthur," said Sakura as she woke up too, swishing her tail away from Arthur's face. "Hey what's this on my leg… or all of my legs!" asked Sakura before she exclaimed when she saw metal rings attached to her legs and chains connected to those rings to the ground. Arthur also then realized that he was also shackled to the floor. Then suddenly Sakura saw Crystal but unlike them, she has a metal collar attached to her neck and it was chained to the wall. Crystal suddenly woke up and she shook off the hay that got stuck to her sharp little fur. She tried to take a step off the warm hay but she nearly choked on the collar.

"I feel like melting…, "said Crystal, feeling feverish and was practically melting on the warm hay. "Hopefully I can do this attack while I am melting…" Crystal formed a beam towards Sakura and Arthur's Shackles and it started to crack under the extreme cold. "Bear with it, ok?"

"Ok… but it's getting very cold," said Sakura and Arthur together and suddenly their shackles cracked open. "Ok… now to crack yours, I mean the chain or whatever."

"But the problem is how to crack it," said Arthur as he examined the chain. "Biting, Tackling and even asking it won't work on this."

"I don't think that asking it to crack is not an option at all, Arthur," said Crystal as she tugged on the chain. When she is catching her breathe, she saw Sakura's tail and an idea struck her. "Wait I got a way…" Crystal's tail sort of lit up and she whipped it upwards and it sliced the chain cleanly in half and caught the remaining chain in a Frost Bite which turned the rest of the metal into ice and it shattered as easily as glass.

"Wow looks like biting it is a way after all," said Sakura, causing Arthur to blush slightly. "Well now what?" They all started to look around and while Sakura is gnawing at the bars, Crystal was trying to teach Arthur a move that might provide useful; Shadow Ball.

"So remember think 'dark' thoughts and channel them into a sphere and then throw it straight to your opponent," explained Crystal. "You can also control your Shadow Ball but it takes practice to do that." Arthur kind of struggled to keep up with the detailed explanation. "Now let's see you use that on that wall." Arthur closed his eyes and cleared his mind and then he thought all the negative things he can come up with. Unknown to him, a sphere was forming at an alarming rate as he channeled the thoughts. "Hey! Throw it or it will blow up in your face!" Upon hearing that, he threw the sphere at the wall and it exploded on impact. Wall crumbled slightly but still stood up strong.

"That's it! We can combine our attacks on that wall!" said Arthur as he inspected the wall. Crystal agrees and both of them got into positions. Crystal charged up an Icicle Sphere while Arthur charged up his Shadow Ball. Sakura then looked at both of them and saw only one huge Sphere in the middle of them. "Time to throw it… but it's too big and it will explode soon!"

"Hey! A big ball! Can I play with it?" said Sakura playfully and she tackled the Sphere and it charged to the wall and it exploded and made an opening. "Aww… Ball go bye-bye…"

"Amazingly… Her childish side saved us from a disaster from that over-surge," said Crystal. "Well let's go… if you two have nothing you need to check before we go." Sakura then checked if her necklace is still hidden in her fur and thankfully it is still there. "Ok then, let's go before those Pok?on who imprisoned us come back." Before they can scurry out of the cell, something grabbed Sakura by the tail and hauled her back. Arthur and Crystal noticed and turned around to see Xatu and a Leafeon. However, the Leafeon's eyes look extremely dense and lost.

"You all are not going anywhere! Take care of them," said Xatu and he stepped back and let the Leafeon do all the dirty work. After shooting a Leech Seed into Sakura's fur before tossing her aside and launching a Nature Orb at Crystal and Arthur. Arthur quickly dodged using Extreme Speed but the Nature Orb was a fast, moving seeker projectile and Arthur got hit hard. The secondary effect of Nature Orb made Arthur slow down greatly. At the same time, A Frost Glaive flew dangerously past Leafeon's head. It was Crystal using one of her Attacks to help defeat their new opponent.

"Oh Goodness… I hate using that move, it reduces my speed," muttered Crystal then from the corner of her eye, she saw that Sakura was entangled by the leech seed vines and with every hit that Leafeon receives, Sakura's energy is being sapped to replenish it. Crystal needs to think quickly in order for everyone to survive this ordeal.

"So… That Leafeon is working for that Xatu but there is something not right with the eyes," muttered Crystal as she dodged another Energy Ball while Arthur got up and tried Shadow Ball. "Wait a minute… Eyes, What does that remind me of… Mind… something to do with the mind; a mind ob, mind pro… Mind Probe! That's it," Crystal stopped and then quickly chanted a spell. ~Whatever the mind feels, let our eyes see through the mist of the mind~

With that spell, suddenly a strange Sphere which is in sinister purple appeared beside Leafeon's head. Arthur and Sakura cannot see it but Crystal can. She took careful aim and fired a Frost Bite Attack and the Sphere was frozen and shattered. Xatu growled at the failure of his plan and spitefully returned into the shadows and vanished from the scene.

"That was nearly too easy," said Crystal. "Too easy in fact," She quickly went to check up on Arthur who was tired out from using Extreme Speed and Shadow Ball. "You alright?"

"Just… Tired… Out," puffed Arthur as he tried to stabilize himself because he is about to fall. Crystal then checked up on Sakura who she had to untangle first.

"Are you alright?" asked Crystal as she helped Sakura to stand up but Sakura had most of her energy drained earlier and was near fainting. "Erm Sakura? You… alright." Sakura was wobbling from where she stood with a tired expression on her face. Her muscles are cramping up from exhaustion.

"Sorry, I am just exhausted," said Sakura, Arthur found their stuff on the other side of the bars and he dug a tunnel to the other side and grabbed their stuff and went back to see Sakura faint and Crystal bit her fur scruff and lifted up.

"Ugh… My head hurts… Where am I?" said the Leafeon as he got up from where he fainted when Crystal shattered the Probe that was tinkering with his mind. "Oh dear, are you alright?" He rushed over to the trio, who was leaving through the hole in the wall. "What happened to her?" Crystal gently let Sakura down before whispering something to Arthur then turned to talk to the Leafeon.

"She was simply tired out from a fight… With you…" said Crystal and that Leafeon got a confused look on his face. "Can you help undo what… you did?" Crystal kind of blushed when she said what he did. Thankfully for her, that Leafeon didn't notice it at all and he approached Sakura and then He used Aroma Therapy on Sakura. His body glowed in emerald green and then it flowed smoothly to Sakura and then slowly it started to restore her.

"That should do it, She will wake up soon fully refreshed," said the Leafeon. "Oh and I never got to introduce myself, my name is Mat and I am an explorer from Spring Town."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mat," said Crystal. "I am Crystal and that is Arthur and the one who is sleeping is Sakura, We are all heading to Icicle Castle."

"Oh I was just heading there myself, may I join you?"

"Why would you be going to Icicle Castle?" asked Crystal feeling unusually curious around Mat's Aroma that came from a Leafeon's leaves. His fresh green eyes were staring right at her sky blue ones and she enjoyed the joy she is feeling.

"I need to speak to the princess of Icicle Castle regarding a little problem of the road between Spring Town to all other towns," said Mat as they continued to walk down the road. (With him carrying Sakura on his back) "But with me going there, I will get a chance to see the Season Celebration."

"Well we are almost there, let's hope we all get to enjoy ourselves," said Crystal and they blissfully walked down the road to Icicle Castle as the sun sets on a mysterious adventure.


	18. Chapter 18

Morning Sun rises and so comes the crack of dawn. Our friends have been traveling non-stop since they met their new travelling companion, Mat. Sakura is resting peacefully on Mat's back while Arthur who is tired out and he is resting on Crystal's back. Arthur and Sakura are around the same age but Crystal and Mat are a few days older. (Pok?on grow up slowly physically but very quickly mentally) So being good caretakers, they carried Sakura and Arthur as they slept as younglings like them needs their rest. The sky is slowly brightening up and the sun rise is visible from where they were.

"Are you sure we are nearly there?" asked Mat as they descended from another hill.

"Considering you are an explorer that was actually very funny," laughed Crystal, "We just have to cross over that river and we are there." The snow was still fresh and cool in the sunlight and they crossed the bridge and finally they see it, Icicle Castle. There was like a dream in a Ice Wonderland. Tall, translucent ice walls stood up in the sunlight but never melting under any temperature. Inside those walls, you can barely make out igloos or buildings made of never-melting ice.

"Finally, we are here… it is an impressive sight," said Mat and just as he said that, Arthur woke up from his sleep. "Oh Arthur is awake, take a look at Icicle Castle." Arthur shook himself awake and then he looked at Icicle Castle.

"Wow… impressive!" said Arthur and he leapt off Crystal's back and onto the path. Sakura strangely was still asleep. "Sakura? Hasn't she woke up yet?" asked Arthur.

"Strangely, No…" said Mat, "Maybe I did the Aroma Therapy Ability wrong. Maybe I did the wrong ability maybe it was Life Scent… I always have that habit."

"It's not funny, Mat," said Arthur fiercely. He was not usually aggressive but he was simply worried about Sakura. "Can you remember what Ability you did?"

"I think it was really Life Scent instead of Aroma Therapy," said Mat while they continued to walk down the path and past fields of Winter Tears flowers which were blue and white and its centre is in a shape of a teardrop while the petals form a splash effect. They soon approached the majestic Ice Gate with only Ice Sculptures standing guard. But the Gate was closed and locked tight.

"Strange… it's usually not locked, looks like I need to do the signal for them to open it up," said Crystal and she shot her Icicle Sphere up high and it exploded into an display of flying snowflakes in a fireworks fashion. And then they waited for the door to open and then after a minute, the gate opened and a few ice Pok?on came to greet them.

"Welcome To Icicle Castle, sorry for closing the gate but due to recently activity of the Raiders, we need to add more security," said a Sealeo. "So enjoy your stay." The group has left them and then Crystal simply walked ahead of the group but she was wearing her robes and they never knew she had robes in her bag. Mat and Arthur simply followed Crystal but strangely she is keeping her distance in front of them.

"And I never thought I will be back here again," muttered Crystal. "But oh well, I had to protect another princess and well it cannot hurt to come back home." She muttered a lot of things under her breathe and keeping herself almost invisible with her robes and nobody seems to notice her at all and Arthur was finding that extreme strange.

"That is strange, this is her hometown and why is she acting like she never belonged here," asked Arthur and suddenly Crystal stopped and they nearly bumped into her. "Why did you stop, Crystal?"

"Can you tone down on the volume," said Crystal darkly and then she opened her bag and took out a blanket and covered Sakura who was on Mat's back. "Now keep your voice down and follow me and keep your head low," whispered Crystal. Mat and Arthur felt that they shouldn't argue with her, despite their suspicions. They walked down an icy pathway but strangely it doesn't feel cold at all. It was almost like the ice was nothing but clear glass as they admired it but Crystal had half of her face hidden under the hood of her robes and just walked quickly forward. Soon they came to a stop at the legendary Ice Castle of Icicle Castle. The castle was simply brilliant as it has a vibe that flows through everyone and there is also the sunlight reflection that made it special. Crystal stood at the gate where two guard Pok?on was standing.

"Halt! Who goes there?" asked the guards in a professional matter. Crystal, without anyone noticing before, had a sort of seal in her paw and she merely held it up and the guard took a good look at it. "Welcome back, princess."

"Princess?" grasp Arthur and Mat who both didn't know from the start. "You are the Princess of Icicle Castle? Why did you tell us?" Crystal simply ignored them and then said.

"These three are my guest, Come on you two let's go…" Unable to keep their startled looks, Arthur and Mat followed Crystal. When they were safely inside, Crystal took off her robe while still walking to a place in the castle. It was massive and that made it impressive that Crystal knows her way around. They soon met another Glaceon when they are still on the corridors.

"Crystal? You are back! I knew you be back for the Season Celebration," chattered the other Glaceon. The other Glaceon wore majestic clothing and she has a veil over her head that she neatly tucked to the sides so her face can be clearly seen.

"Hello Sister, it's been a while hasn't it," said Crystal.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Crystal?" asked Mat who was gently letting Sakura down as she was starting to wake up. Arthur pulled over the blanket so that Sakura will be covered.

"Oh of course, Sister, I like you to meet Mat, Arthur and that little cute one with the blanket is Sakura," said Crystal, indicating to her sister to who is who. Unknown to Sakura, her Amherst Necklace had come out of her fur and it is sparkling on her fur coat.

"Pleasure, My name is Frosty," said Crystal's sister. "And may I say that is a pretty necklace you have." Sakura heard that and looked down to check and her fears were realized as the necklace was clearly visible. She quickly used the blanket to cover it and Frosty don't understand why was she hiding it. "Why hide such a beautiful necklace, dear?" Sakura slowly turned her head away from Frosty.

"I will tell you later, sister," whispered Crystal, "Why not we rest up before we take a tour around the castle." So Frosty and Crystal took them all to the grand lobby and they all took a seat and take a break from their travels. Crystal secretly used her Magic and talked to her sister telepathically.

*Sakura is a little shy and that necklace is precious to her so she is protective of it,*thought Crystal as she transmitted her thoughts to her sister.

*Oh, Can you please warn me next time you do your magic? It can scare people,* thought back Frosty. *But I seen that necklace in the archives, who is she?*

*Never fail to see something so critical as always… She is actually the Princess Of Sun-Grove, the true princess.*

*Really? The true heiress to the throne of Sun-Grove? That Countess and her daughter seems to be tricking the king into marrying them and taking over bit by bit*

*And there is an assassin hired by that Countess to get rid of Sakura, we need to protect her.*

*I understand* finished Frosty and that telepathic communication ended. They both returned their attention to the real world. Mat and Arthur were talking about what explorers do while Sakura is sitting by the window still and looking out into world with her necklace still clearly visible.

"Oh yeah, Mat! Didn't you have something to tell my sister?" asked Crystal, "Something about the paths from Spring Town?" Mat then remembered and then Frosty and he went to a quiet spot. Crystal was deep in thought about the upcoming Season Celebration. While Sakura is sitting by the window, Arthur leapt to her side and Sakura turned to him and smiled before staring back into the clouds. Sakura slowly leaned her head onto Arthur's shoulders until it rested gently and Arthur felt himself blushing. Crystal suddenly looked at the both of them and their tails moved slowly together. "Aww… look at those Eevees sitting by the window." Sakura and Arthur ignored Crystal and continued to cuddle together.

"Erm Sakura can I ask you a question?" asked Arthur as Sakura rested her head on his shoulder.

"What is it?" asked Sakura.

"If you were a princess, would you like the kind of life in a castle?" asked Arthur before he realized that he accidently slipped a small detail of her being a princess.

"I love being in the sunshine and fresh air, I think a princess's life won't suit me at all but lucky I am not one right, Arthur?

"Yeah… Right!" said Arthur and then he heaved a sigh of relief and then soon Mat and Frosty came back.

"I hope you all are well rested, we are going to take you all on the royal tour," said Frosty and everyone got up and followed her. They went to every room that has either a purpose or it's simply beautiful and by late afternoon they were at the massive greenhouse and Sakura couldn't control herself and she went around and admired the flowers.

"Sorry about Sakura, she just loves flowers and nature," said Crystal to her Sister.

"It's actually very cute," said Frosty as they hung around in the Greenhouse. "Sakura! There are some vicious plants to in the East Wing!" When they all went to the North Wing of the Green House they saw Sakura in the East Wing and strangely taming the Vicious Plants into being friendly to her. Frosty, who didn't know that, went and tried to pull her out of the East Wing but strangely she saw that the plants are only vicious to her.

"Hello Frosty, meet my new friends!" said Sakura cheerfully as she gently pat the vicious plants. Frosty was impressed and then she left Sakura with the Vicious Plants.

Meanwhile on the top of the Green House, Xatu was standing watch. "If you want something done right, you do it yourself… Sorry little girl but your time is up." Xatu lopped up an Orb and a Storm came. Crystal, who has keen magic sense along with Frosty and Sakura, left the magic Storm.

*Frosty, did you feel that?* asked Crystal telepathically.

*I did, someone who is up to no good is in this castle,* replied Frosty.

*It's that assassin, Stay on guard,* finished Crystal and they both had their guard up and started to look around. Mat and Arthur saw that Crystal and Frosty had their guard up and Sakura was coming back to them.

"Guys, I feel something strange, it's like the storm is unnatural," said Sakura and as she came within 10 feet of them, a lightning striked only a few inches of Sakura. "Wah, that was close that lightning nearly got me."

"Sakura! Behind you, Run!" yelled Arthur but when Sakura tried to run a fork of lightning came down and formed electric bars, separating Sakura from the rest. Xatu suddenly appeared and shot a electrical Orb and that stunned Sakura.

"Now to finish what I started," said Xatu.


	19. Chapter 19

As Sakura screamed with pain, anger filled Arthur like a cup being filled by a waterfall. After a few more seconds of gruesome pain and screaming, Sakura dropped down onto the floor, unconscious. The forked lightning keeping Sakura separated from the rest disappeared and then the storm threw down another forked lightning but it surrounded Sakura forming a small electric cage. Frosty, Crystal and Mat scattered while Arthur charged forward and engaged close combat with Xatu. Xatu raised his wings and parry whatever melee moves he threw at him. Suddenly Mat came out of nowhere and tried to engage Xatu. Xatu leapt up and he charged up some of his magic Vortex and threw it down and trapped Arthur and Mat in a mind rage. Frosty and Crystal used their own Magic and ascended using their Magical platforms. Xatu also did the same and soon they are on even levels.

"Let Sakura go now!" growled Crystal and Xatu who looked down and saw the lightning cage.

"Or why not you two little girls just BACK OFF!" yelled Xatu and he lopped Magic Fireballs at them. Crystal generated a Water Shield to counter it and she stood in front of her sister who leapt up and shot Icicles back. This battle of fire and ice lasted a long time with both side throwing whatever spells they can at each other. Soon a fireball hit Crystal and Frosty and they dropped back down to the ground and then Xatu finally came back down to finish it all up. The lightning disappeared and Xatu held up Sakura and then a sharp dagger appeared in his hand. He slowly held the dagger to Sakura's neck and just when he is about to slash it. Sakura woke up with a fright and saw Xatu and a dagger to her neck.

"W-w-what a-are y-you doing?" staggered Sakura as her sparkling eyes filled with fear but then suddenly the fear slowly disappeared and her eyes are now show hopelessness. Xatu saw her puppy eyes (Eevees are part dog) and hesitated to kill her. "What are you waiting for? If you have to do it."

"You don't fear death? How is that possible?" asked Xatu as he held a brave front. "You don't think I can kill right here!"

"No… it's just that… my mother died, my father abandoned me and now I am just wondering through my life without a purpose," said Sakura. "If death is my destiny, please do it if you have to."

"I..i.. Can't do this…" said Xatu and he dropped both Sakura and the dagger. Sakura looked up at her used-to-be-assassin. "I just can't…" Xatu's conscious was getting the better of him and he simply cannot carry out the task. Sakura took a look at the dagger and it disintegrated. Arthur and Mat stopped wandering around mindlessly and Frosty and Crystal joined back with the group.

"If it helps, can you tell me why you were intending to kill me?" asked Sakura as she looked at Xatu. "And why did your dagger disappear and how did you shock me?"

"Alright… I will tell you… You are the princess of Sun-Grove, the countess sent me to get rid of you but I just can't… I have a daughter back home," said the Xatu. That news sort of tore Sakura apart. Crystal can clearly see that Sakura is hurting deep inside. "And the dagger and shock you saw before was Magic and you have it too." Crystal gasped that he revealed Magic not only to Sakura but Arthur and Mat too.

"W..what… i…I am… the… Princess?" said Sakura as she gasped the secret. "S..so… my.. .. is… King?" Sakura's eyes was tearing up and then she broke down in half anger and half sad. Sakura couldn't take it and just ran off. And then strangely she sort of ran through the door without even opening it.

"Wait, did she just ran through that locked door?" asked Arthur.

"That is… actually the de-solidify spell, I don't know how she learnt it," said Crystal. "That really means that she is royalty or she wouldn't be able to do magic so naturally at all." They all went to find Sakura but none of them can find her. Xatu made his leave and then went back to his family back in the Aria Region. Sakura actually fell down into an arcane basement in the courtyard and landed painfully on her bottom.

"Ouchies," cried out Sakura as she cleared her tears from before. "Where am I?" She saw strange symbols and Sakura felt strange as she got up. She looked up and saw the hole she fell into. She tried to get out but she is too short. "Help!" Arthur's sharp ears heard her and he rushed to help her. Crystal saw Arthur running and called Frosty and Mat and they followed him. Arthur came to the hole where Sakura fell down into.

"Arthur! Help me get out!" called out Sakura. "This place is creepy."

"Ok, hold on… Ah there is Crystal!" said Arthur and the rest of the group came.

"Sakura, Listen! You just say this and you will get out: Trapped, Underground please take me up to my friends!" called out Crystal. Sakura was confused at what Crystal was trying to do but was willing to try anything to get out of the Arcane Basement.

~Trapped Undergound, Please Take Me Up To My Friends!~ said Sakura and strange something was levitating her upwards and through the hole and she stopped flying when she is out of the hole. "What did I just do."

"Did a little magic," said Crystal, "It's good right?"

"I don't know, it's like I just said a line of words and I flew out of the hole," said Sakura. They all went back into the castle where they all joined the royal family for dinner. Crystal and Frosty were talking along with Sakura who seems to be slowly getting used to the idea that she is a princess.

"So sorry that we kept it from you, Sakura," said Arthur from behind. "But we were trying to protect you."

"Who else knew of this?" asked Sakura who is not too happy about big secrets being kept from her.

"I think all of our friends know, now you know," said Arthur and Sakura sighed while Crystal and Frosty tries to take her mind off of the whole Royalty secret. Soon they entered, the dining room and they soon met the King and Queen of Icicle Castle.

"Mom, Dad, I am home…" said Crystal but her father cut her off.

"Crystal I still haven't forgotten that you left Icicle Castle for knowledge and now you came back without so much of greeting?" said the king in a deep voice.

"Sorry dad… I didn't mean to…" started Crystal before her mom cut her off.

"Why don't we all have our dinner," said the queen and they all say down. Arthur and Mat saw that there were about 4 spoons, forks and knives extra and each of them vary in size or design. Sakura saw a little nervous about it and she shifted uncomfortably on her chair. Crystal remained silent throughout dinner while Frosty was engaging in a talk with her father.

"He can't ever forgive me, can't he…" muttered Crystal and when she finished, she simply left on her own. Sakura and Arthur as well as Mat also finished their dinner rather quickly and followed Crystal.

"I cannot eat anymore of those food, it taste a little too strange to me," said Arthur as they caught their breath behind Crystal. Crystal merely giggled and continued to walk forward through the corridors.

"I am not being nosy but Crystal, why does your parents look as if they hate you," asked Mat and Crystal suddenly stopped. She sighed and then she took them all into a quiet room.

"Well since you noticed… I might as well as tell you," said Crystal as she sank into chair. "Well this is all started during the last Season Celebration."

It was nearly 1 year ago, snow was falling gently in Icicle Castle. It was the annual Season Celebration and everyone gathered at the town square and instead of a fountain, there is a huge ice rink connected to a stage. Behind the curtains, Crystal and her sister Frosty was behind the curtain but Crystal was wearing the traditional white dress with waterline, transparent and sparkly cloth at the sides to enhance any movement especially spinning and twirling.

"I am feeling so nervous…" said Crystal, as she paced around nervously while Frosty is using her magic to make the cloak extremely light and fluffy.

"Don't worry, big sister," said Frosty as soon as she finished. "I saw you practice for weeks and your dance is the best of all."

"Well it was only you who saw me dance, not dad or mom," said Crystal, "Well they never bothered about me at all and unlike they are with you."

"Well it's also almost time, good luck big sister." Frosty finished as she left backstage to her spot beside her mom and dad. Soon the announcer came on stage and began started to say his lines. However behind the curtains, tension inside Crystal's heart was growing at an alarming rate and she nearly sure that it was going to explode. Then finally she heard that it was the time for her to start. The curtains raised and then Crystal felt an uncomfortable surge. Luckily, the music came through and she forgotten about the people watching her. She did her dance routine according to how she did it during practice. The various spins and twists she does and the dress made every move magical. She then did a sort of backward slide in a circle and then she spun and leapt up as gracefully as she can. Suddenly there was a pause in the music and without the music to distract Crystal from the audience's stares. Crystal's jump was then messed up and then she landed flat on her face. With that embarrassing ending, people started whispered and when Crystal finally got her face up, she saw everyone staring and whispering. When she turned her head to look at her father, all she saw was him and mom leaving the scene but Frosty was still there and was the only one clapping. Crystal was so upset that she used her magic to teleport from the scene to her room and crashed into her bed with tears in her eyes. Later that day, she had an uncomfortable dinner with her family with only Frosty talking to her and her parents looking disappointed with her performance. From that day on, Crystal couldn't head out of the castle without using either magic or wearing her robes and her parents are forever ashamed of her. She also cannot get any attention from her parents anymore unlike before where they at least paid a little bit of attention to her. And after that fateful day, she heard Pok?on call the year she did the ceremony; the year of bad luck. After a few more days of enduring the embarrassment, she finally decided to pack up and go. Before she was able to leave, she left a note for Frosty and then just left the castle without anyone seeing her.


	20. Chapter 20

"So you messed up big time?" asked Arthur. "And you left not for studies but to run away?"

"Well I did intend to go away to study but this incident made me change my purpose…" said Crystal as tears formed in her eyes. They dripped down from her face onto the floor. "I mean have you ever had your parents look at you with disappointment and shame? My parents treated me non-existent ever since I was born." Crystal's tears suddenly flowed like a waterfall and Sakura went by her and gave her a gentle cuddle. Crystal was rather taken back that someone actually understands her.

"My parents abandoned me and he was a king like yours… well my mom died but at least you still have your family, so go on and try and make up for all the times you didn't do what you couldn't," said Sakura. That refueled Crystal with energy that shook her out of her tears and she made her a new purpose. Crystal then leapt off the bed while biting onto Sakura's fur coat, did a somersault and landed gently on the floor.

"You know, Sakura! You are a great talker!" said Crystal as she let go of Sakura was in shock of the unwanted ride on a somersaulting Crystal. Sakura then lost balance and Arthur caught hold of her. "I need to find my parents and get talking!" and after that, Crystal teleported out of the room. Sakura got back on her feet and they all walked back and just went the pass-by the dining room, Frosty suddenly teleported to them.

"Oh hello Frosty, anything wrong?" asked Arthur. Frosty was actually smiling at them suddenly they all were teleported to a viewing platform in the main throne chamber and they were looking down at a scene that Crystal had started with her parents.

"So let me just get this straight… You didn't left for further studies like the note you left but actually to run away from your problems?" said Crystal's father in a deep, commanding voice. Crystal was standing her ground and glaring back at her parents.

"That is not all! Since I was born, you both didn't even bother with me at all!" said Crystal, trying to hold up her brave start. "And I want to know right now, why did you treat me like this?" Frosty was actually crying tears of joy as finally for the first time in her life, she saw her sister trying to get all of her problems solved in one night.

"Well… sweetie, to be honest, I was actually very busy to notice your doings," said the king and then the queen spoke up.

"And when you were born, I was having Frosty so I had to focus on myself again; we are sorry, darling,"

"During the Season Celebrate which was your turn, we got an urgent emergency meeting and we had to go, we never told Frosty about it as it was a secret meeting," finished the King. Crystal, however, wasn't done as there were more questions that were left unanswered.

"Then why did you pay more attention to Frosty?" asked Crystal as she continued the questions. Frosty, who was with the group, turned around and whispered a similar story that was being told to Crystal,

"When I was born, unlike Crystal, I have a weak immunity and was constantly getting sick. So Mom and Dad tried their best to make sure I was alright. But in doing so, they neglected Crystal." Crystal, back down in the main chamber, finally gave it a rest and her parents gave her a hug. Frosty leapt down from the viewing platform and joined the hug. The rest all enjoyed the radiant warmth of the hug from the platform.

"Aw… that is so heart-warming," said Sakura as she leapt up her front legs onto the railing and stared down at the scene. Soon they all stopped the hug and then Frosty raised a serious question.

"Crystal, do you want to take my place in this Season Celebration?" said Frosty suddenly there was a momentary pause. Crystal looked at Frosty as if she had gone mad. "What?"

"Are you crazy? All the girls in this town would kill for a chance to be the Snow Maiden!" said Crystal but Frosty merely smiled and shook her head.

"Well… maybe mom can tell you," said Frosty as she shyly went behind the Queen. Frosty looked extremely worried as Crystal talked.

"Well you see, Crystal… Frosty can't really do ice ballet at all," said the queen gently. "She has asthma and also her health condition has been fairly unstable lately." As that news came out, Crystal looked at Frosty who was beginning to cry about her condition and her mom was comforting her.

"But if she was in an unstable health condition," asked Crystal, "How did she sing the song for the Celebration every year?"

"She was lucky that she is just physically weak but her voice is great when she sing," said Crystal's mom. "Crystal, if you like, you can take Frosty's place as this year's snow maiden to sort of bring back all the times we were so busy to notice you." Crystal hesitated to answer to the request; On one hand, she would love the chance to redeem herself as a snow maiden. However, on the other hand, she doesn't want to take away her sister's chance of being Snow Maiden.

"I don't know… I just can't…" said Crystal but suddenly as she still deciding, Frosty suddenly felt extremely ill and just fainted on the spot. There was an ordeal afterwards and soon they are all waiting nervously outside Frosty's room while the king and queen and a royal doctor is inside tending to Frosty.

"Crystal, why are you looking so… angry?" asked Mat as he looked at Crystal whose face is tear-stained and horror-struck.

"How could I have been so selfish," muttered Crystal. "My own sister, in a serious health condition… And me for saying that I didn't get any attention."

"Crystal?" asked Mat as he approached but suddenly Crystal turned and nearly whacked Mat with her long ponytails. Thankfully for Mat, he has quick reaction and was able to dodge it barely. "What, Mat!"

"I was just wanted to ask… never mind, I will let you go on," said Mat who can clearly see that Crystal is hurting deeply. Crystal went on to pacing around as Sakura and Arthur were cuddling together on one end of the bench. Arthur has been keeping his urge to tell Sakura that he loves her but he couldn't work up the courage to tell Sakura. Sakura also have the same feelings for Arthur but she just doesn't know how to tell Arthur so both of are in a strange loop either getting courage to say the magic words or trying to figure out how to say those magic words. Soon after a while, the door flew open and out came the doctor. Crystal immediately asks him whether Frosty is alright.

"Her physical condition stabilized but she need to avoid doing any more vigorous exercise or over extending herself, the rest of the details I already told the king and queen," said the doctor as he left and everyone went in to visit Frosty. Frosty was awake on her bed as Crystal came by.

"What else did the doctor say?" asked Crystal quietly as she came up to her sister and rose up her front paws so that I rested on the bed. "How are you feeling? I am so sorry for making you suffer… and listening to my troubles while you are suffering a lot already."

"It's ok, I will be fine as well as I don't over extend myself," said Frosty. Crystal then turned to her parents.

"Frosty has to follow a strict diet and take certain medication at certain times," said the king as he rested one of his paws on Crystal's shoulders. "That's why, even though I don't think you noticed, the food at dinner was a little strange." Crystal choked slightly while Sakura and Arthur stared at each other.

"It seemed kind of weird to me…" said Arthur and Sakura agreed with him. The king chuckled and Frosty smiled.

"Crystal have you decided if you are going to take Frosty's place?" asked the queen after she fed Frosty her medication and put her to bed. As they exited the room, Crystal took the chance to answer.

"For my sister, I will do it for her," said Crystal and then it was decided, with the help of some transfiguration magic, Crystal will take her sister's place in the Celebration. Sakura was being hauled off by Crystal to another part of the castle while Arthur and Mat enjoyed a lovely dinner with the king and queen.

Crystal took Sakura into one of the many towers in the castle and they went down two flights of stairs and into a colossal library that is lit with strange floating, luminous letters inside lanterns while some are flying around the room. Crystal took Sakura to row of tables and she used magic freely to get a lot of books to read.

"What are we doing here, Crystal?" asked Sakura and she ducked down so that she doesn't get hit by a huge book entitled; Basics Of Transfiguration For Beginners.

"I need you help me to transfigure into my sister so I can take her place without anyone knowing," said Crystal. "It's important that we keep Magic secret, according a set of rules that applies to all magic-gifted."

"But what if Frosty shows up or you get stage fright like last time?" asked Sakura. "And how am I supposed to… change your appearance to look like Frosty?" Crystal then dumped five of the twenty books that she had levitating around the library, onto the table in front of Sakura. The books were; Starter Concepts Of Magic, Magical Elements To Spells, Magical Incantations And Improvisation, Starter Concepts To Transfiguration, List Of Transfiguration Spells.

"Just read all these books and do some practical practices and you will be ready to do it," started Crystal as Sakura sweat-dropped at how thick all five books were. "Oh you might want to start on Starter Concepts Of Magic and learn how to levitate objects before you use it to carry those books and read while you are walking or doing other things." Crystal then placed back the rest of the books she took out and then left for the large ice rink arena to practice her old ice ballet moves with some improvements she came up with. Sakura got to work on the first book and soon realized that what Crystal meant was on page 1 as an example for learning the basic magic skills.

"So I just need to clear my mind and visualize that I am lifting the books with a invisible force," muttered Sakura and then she stood back and did what the book says and suddenly the books started to lift up and Sakura was having no trouble controlling the magic. She lifted the 5 books while having the first book opened in front of her and she left the Library while having the books rotate around her as she reads the first.

Meanwhile, Arthur and Mat were having an enjoyable conversation in the dining room where they are enjoying food that is not specially made for Frosty's diet.

"And then, I found out that Sakura was a princess…" continued Arthur with his story. But that the statement. The king spurts out the tea he was drinking and the queen choked on a sandwich which would be very comical if they weren't royalty.

"Hold on, Sakura is a princess? From which town?" asked the King as he recovered from his spray of tea.

"She is the true princess of Sun-Grove, her father abandoned her," explained Arthur.

"Why would he abandon such a cute girl?" asked the Queen. "Any parent would be lucky to have her as their child." Arthur finished his dinner and gulped down his tea.

"Sorry but I would have to excuse myself, I get got a magical message," said Arthur and he left the room and leaving nearly everyone bewildered.


	21. Chapter 21

As night approached and Sakura has finish 4 of the books and was finishing the last book to figure how to turn Crystal's looks into Frosty. She saw Arthur ran by her, she called out to Arthur but was rudely ignored. Sakura just tried teleportation and she went into the Ice Rink but she spliced herself inside the wall. Sakura was about to call for help when she saw Crystal dancing her routine with her eyes closed and the routine ended perfectly. Sakura, with half of her body spliced behind the wall, clapped for Crystal and then Crystal noticed Sakura.

"You made a mistake in that teleportation spell, right?" asked Crystal and Sakura blushed as Crystal got her unstuck. "Next time, if you are spliced, just do another teleport."

"Strange that is not written in any of the books," said Sakura. Crystal merely giggled. "What's so funny?"

"It is written in more detail in another book: _Teleportation And How To Use It Correctly_," said Crystal. "You saw my dance didn't you?" Sakura nodded as she went to sit on one of the chairs while looking through the last book.

"I think I figured it out how to transfigure you into Frosty," said Sakura and Crystal zipped across the ice rink to where Sakura was sitting.

"Well what are you waiting for? Do it!" said Crystal cheerfully. Sakura continued to have the book opened in front of her and then she improvised a incantation.

_**~Frisky as she is but change her into her sister, Frosty~**_ and suddenly pink smoke appeared and engulfed Crystal and then when it cleared, Crystal looks like Frost. Despite both of them being Glaceon, Frosty is a lot smaller than Crystal.

"You did it!" said Crystal as she inspected her reflection on the Ice Rink. "In fact it's perfect, but how long does that spell last?" Sakura levitated the book to read it.

"It lasts a day… Oh dear I shouldn't have cast that spell right now," said Sakura but Crystal (as Frosty) just laughed her heart out. "Now what is so funny?"

"For every spell, there is a counter-spell to reverse it," replied Crystal. "Here is an improvisation to counter what you said." Crystal skated to Sakura and whispered the chant to her; the spell didn't work for Crystal as transfiguration must be done by another Pokémon.

**_~Having the look gone stale, turn my creation into her original form~_** chanted Sakura and then a purple cloud of smoke puffed from Crystal's feet and returned her to her original state. "Oh it worked well."

"Magic has a lot to study but the books I gave you should help you out of tight spot especially the Mind Wipe," said Crystal as she continued to skate around gracefully and enjoying the breeze that passes by her face. "Do the Magic World a favor and don't let others find out about it."

"I understand… you seem to be enjoying ice ballet," said Sakura as she gazed at Crystal just skating as if she wasn't trying at all.

"Oh I do enjoy ice ballet," said Crystal after she landed smoothly from a jump. "I just get a little fright when a lot of Pokémon look at me do it." Crystal then skidded back to the edge and sat down next to Sakura.

"What you did just then was amazing; it is almost like you move without effort." Sakura commented. Crystal just giggled then stared upwards to the glass ceiling.

"When you are a princess, other Pokémon may say you have everything but you don't have any friends that you pay or have any experience in social contact." Crystal said as the first star of the night came into view. "It's like your life is nothing." Soon both of them left the ice rink after Crystal got a few more minutes of practice. Crystal and Sakura, along with Frosty, went to eat their dinner. The chef Pokémon made two types of food, one specially made for Frosty's diet and the other is normally prepared.

"Sorry to have to force such a big burden on everyone…-Cough-." Frosty coughed out as she tried to start a conversation. Crystal levitated a glass of specially-brewed Tea to Frosty who takes a sip. "Thanks, sister."

"Watch yourself; you need to take it easy." Crystal said as she started to pour the water for Sakura and herself. "The battle with the assassin and also leaping down from that viewing platform…"

"Sis, that's enough," laughed Frosty. "I know; I will watch myself." Dinner was fairly noisy as Crystal and Frosty are catching up from when Crystal ran away. Sakura kept fairly quiet and when they finished, Frosty went back to her room while Crystal took Sakura to her room before she teleported to her room. Sakura came in and then saw that there was only one bed and Arthur has taken one side of it. Sakura was very tired from the reading and doing magic all afternoon to now, so she just climb into bed and slept peacefully.

The next morning came with a frosty mist and when Arthur woke up, the first thing he saw was Sakura. Arthur swept off the blanket and then quickly uses the toilet. Sakura was curled up into a ball on the far side of the bed. The sunlight seeped into the room through the thin curtains and woke up Sakura. Sakura yawned and then she toppled off the bed and she landed on the floor but strangely she didn't feel anything at all, just like the time she fell down from the bunk bed back at Lavinder Town. Sakura got up and then went to the balcony and then she nearly froze to death and ran back in.

_**~It's freezing out there and I need warmth in here~**_ chattered Sakura, unknowingly chanted a spell that suddenly made her feel warm. "Oh did I just cast a spell… I need to use the toilet…" Arthur was opened the door when Sakura was about to open it.

"Oh good morning, princess! Sleep well?" Arthur teased slightly. Sakura didn't like the 'princess' comment and just responded with a disappointing good morning. "I was just kidding about the princess thing." Arthur started the day on the wrong paw as Sakura is a little edged. When Sakura came out, Arthur came right up to her. "I am sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to ruin your morning, is it possible that we forget this whole thing?"

"I think we can… literally." Sakura hinted and then she chanted another spell._** ~First times went wrong and now give us a chance to forget it and move on~**_ and then in a suddenly flash, they both forgotten what happened earlier.

"Oh hello Sakura! Good morning," Arthur greeted and Sakura greeted him back cheerfully and they went out into the corridor and then they bumped into Frosty who was getting out of her room.

"Hello! Did you both have a good sleep?" asked Frosty. Sakura just nodded while Arthur just smiled and they both continued to the main lobby where they met up with Crystal and Mat. Today is the Season Celebration, the King and Queen is extremely busy with the set up. Crystal needs to be ready for her performance tonight.

"So I have a plan that will make things right; Sakura is going to transfigure me into you and then I will do the Snow Maiden's Dance." Crystal explained the plan to her sister.

"Erm… If you are going to do that may I ask if Sakura can transform me into you? I want to be able to watch you do your dance again." Frosty said as she looked down on her feet. "Just like you promised me, years ago…"

Crystal and Frosty made that promise when they both younglings and when Frosty is still unable to talk and was crying a lot. Crystal wanted to cheer her little sister up so she took her to the ice rink and she did her Snow Maiden's Dance that she called: Silence Of Winter Nights. And afterwards, she came down to Frosty and they both made a promise to be there for each other's Season Celebration Dance and Crystal promise to perform the dance for her again.

"Well Sakura, can you help my sister? Please?" Crystal asked Sakura with eyes twinkling. Sakura unconditionally accepted and then they all went to the ice rink for a final practice. Arthur and Mat were on one side of the rink while Sakura and Frosty are in the other, practicing their magic for later.

"How about saying in a broken way?" asked Sakura as her first few incantations were unsuccessful.

"I don't think that will work," said Frosty as she inspected some of the books, Sakura managed to shrink into the size of candies and keep them for later reading. She also teleported a few more books from the library under the castle to search for the solutions. Frosty is flipping through the books and just finding a spell that will work properly. "How about this incantation, Sakura?" Sakura took a look and then she asked.

"What is that word: 2 Orb T," Sakura pointed out and Frosty looked at it and explained that it requires two Orbs for Transfiguration. "You just focus your magic into a sphere and you get an orb, getting two is just forming it into two orbs." Sakura did what Frosty said and two pink orbs floated around her. "Good, now just say that incantation!"

_**~To last until the end of the dance, please have our sisters turn into the other to fulfill their pledge; Frosty and Crystal~**_ Sakura chanted and then the two orbs zipped to Frosty and Crystal and then a suddenly burst of smoke, the transformation was complete. "That incantation didn't sound like a spell."

"Well that is due to the fact you were using orbs to do the magic; with magical elements, incantations don't need to make much sense." Frosty said as she inspected Sakura's transformation work. "It relies on how detailed you focused on the spell… it seems right." Crystal is still skating gracefully on the ice rink. Since the King and Queen will not be in the royal platform in public but in the tower overlooking the event, they won't get into trouble with them. "Now I need your help with the second thing; the dress."

Frosty took out a key from her cloak and then sort of inserted it into thin air and turned it. There was a ripple in the space where the 'key-hole' was supposed to be and then she dipped her paw into it and pulled out a translucent white dress with a light blue headdress. The dress was also decorated with sapphires. However the dress also looks old and worn out.

"This is the Snow Maiden's Dress; we need to patch it up with magic and also some hand-made touch ups." Frosty explained as she gently folded it into a package. Sakura and Frosty left the Ice Rink so that Crystal can continue to practice. (With Arthur and Mat either talking or watching her)

"Well I got a special set of magic spells and an enchanted sewing kit for this dress," Frosty explained as they walked down the corridor.

"You really care for Crystal, don't you?" Sakura asked as she saw how well Frosty is preparing for her sister.

"Of course, she has been caring to me when I was young and sick," replied Frosty as she suddenly opens a door and them both entered the room. The room was similar to the guest rooms but instead of a bed and a few other amenities, there are rolls of cloth and a loom set up in the centre of the room. "Well let's get started fixing this dress."

So Sakura and Frosty worked paw in paw to help patch up the dress for tonight's event. While Crystal is doing her part by practicing her moves, Arthur and Mat helped Crystal by being her assistances.

Meanwhile, back in the sunny kingdom of Sun-Grove, The Countess and her daughter is in a secret room that linked to a tower, pondering.

"That assassin chickened out… now I have to do things myself," muttered The Countess darkly as her daughter came out behind her shadow. "Don't worry about a thing, my girl. We will soon be the rulers of PokéWorld."

"But mom, why must we mooch other Pokémon's things so we can be happy?" asked The Countess's daughter and The Countess merely ignored her.

"Well it will all be ours soon."


	22. Chapter 22

It has been several gruesome hours since the morning of the Season Celebration in Icicle Castle. Magical spells are being chanted or casted inside a room in the castle. Sakura is now feeling extremely dizzies as she casted another spell on the loom which Frosty (Still as Crystal) was using to weave new clothing.

"Fantastic Sakura, this should be enough." Frosty called out and Sakura crashed onto a cushion and relaxed. "I know it's been hard for you but that earlier incident was very serious…"

A Few Hours Ago

As Sakura and Frosty used the magic sewing kit and enchanted rolls of thread, the dress suddenly got torn up badly.

"This is terrible. The traditional Snow Maiden's Dress is too fragile and worn out… This won't do." Frosty said then she turned to Sakura who was enchanting the last roll of thread. "Sakura! We need to repair this and make a new dress from scratch!"

"Why do we need to make a new dress from scratch?" asked Sakura but then as she turned around and took a quick glance at the torn up dress. "Oh… I see. So how do we make a new dress?"

"We will have to use this loom; the same loom that this dress was made from," explained Frosty. "But it is going to involve a lot of magic…"

End Of Flashback

"It's alright if it helps you to finish things quickly," Sakura said as she comfortably rested on the cushion. Frosty gave her a smile and continued to work on the loom. Meanwhile, back at the ice rink, Crystal (still looking like Frosty) was taking a break from all the practice.

"Wow this reminds me of the time when it was my turn; my sister preparing the other stuff and leaving me with time to practice." Crystal said as she drank water provided by Mat and Arthur who were helping her to practice efficiently.

"I really envy you two! My sister only teases me." Arthur said, trying to make conversation as he passed the cold towel to Crystal.

"Well I value my sister while I still have her," Crystal replied and Mat chuckled and then he changed the subject.

"So Crystal did you enjoy exploring?" asked Mat, Crystal suddenly looked at him and he suddenly felt himself blushing. He quickly turned his head in hope that Crystal did not notice.

"To tell the truth, I love exploring!" Crystal remarked. "It is simply delightful; the feeling of courage and hope… it's too beautiful to fully describe it."

Mat smiled brightly to Crystal as the moon beamed down on them. The moonlight pierced through the translucent glass ceiling and gently flowed onto Crystal's fur. Arthur just stared at Mat and Crystal as they shyly looked away from one another like a little boy watching a couple kissing. Crystal got up and shook herself awake and got back on the ice and skated away. Mat awkwardly got up and just wandered around the vicinity. The clock that is displayed clearly on the clock tower near the centre of Icicle Castle is showing 9 o'clock and the ambient chimes and bell alarm rang loudly throughout town. Both Frosty and Crystal heard it and they quickly regroup back in the main lobby. The lobby's windows are decorated with stained glass and fancy sofas and chairs are placed neatly in every corner, maximizing the space in the lobby. The floor is made of clear marble while the walls are created purely from never-melting ice. The light source comes from the luminous flames that are preserved inside never-melting ice. The reflections from the light made the lobby looks spiritual and brilliant. Sakura and Frosty came back to the lobby and reunited with Crystal, Mat and Arthur who were resting comfortably on one of the sets of fancy sofas.

"Hello, you two!" called out Crystal, "Did you both complete the other preparations." But Crystal regretted asking when she saw Sakura extremely dizzy and tired. "What did you made Sakura do?"

"The old dress was too broken for this year, so I made a new one." Frosty explained as Sakura rested beside Arthur who stroked her brown fur with his paw. "We best get changed now; the ceremony is going to start soon." Crystal nodded and took the package with the new dress that her sister made for her and Frosty took Crystal's brown sling backpack and her mysterious black robes. Both of them quickly wore their respective clothing and gathered at the backstage of the Ice Ballet Rink in the centre of town. Crystal spoke briefly to the announcer about the sudden change.

"But Miss Frosty, you know that you are not strong enough to do it," the announcer said with worry. Crystal felt bad about lying but she had to or their scheme will be ruined.

"Please just let me do this," Crystal replied, using her sister's voice. The announcer hesitated but agreed on the condition she does not overdo it. Frosty then stepped in as Crystal and the announcer looked at her with curiosity.

"Who are you?" the announcer asked suspiciously as Frosty was wearing Crystal's black robes. Frosty gently lifted the hood that was masking her face and the announcer almost had a heart-attack. "C-rystal? You came back?"

"Well I wouldn't miss my sister's dance for anything in the whole world," Frosty answered and the announcer. "You know me right? Pyona…"

"Yes! Of course, well we will talk more after the Season Celebrate." Pyona the Golduck mumbled hastily before he left. Crystal and Frosty both heaved a sigh of relief when Pyona left.

"That was too close… Pyona knows me well." Crystal whispered to Frosty as she tried to keep herself focused. Frosty merely nodded and she helped Crystal get the dress to look straight.

"Did you like this new dress?" Frosty shyly queried as she straightened it up. Crystal took a much deeper look into the dress and she found that it suited her perfectly. The dress had only two primary colors; Sky Blue and Pearl White. The fabric was well chosen to be light and flexible which will help a lot in the ice ballet. The external designs such as; ribbons, sapphires, opals and also pearl made it astounding and alluring. The headdress was made to be attractive and with its long flow of lucent cloth ties the dress and headdress together as a set.

"It is perfect! You and Sakura must have spent a lot of effort into making this." Crystal praised and Frosty gave her a clear smile. Sakura is now asleep on Mat's back while they are on a viewing platform which is reserved for VIPs and Royalty. Mat gently used his vines to lift Sakura off his back and onto one of the chairs before they took their seats. Since the King and Queen are unable to attend the event, they are the only ones there but Frosty will later unite them. The viewing platform was made from distinctive marble and the chairs have cushions in them. They are overlooking a huge Ice Rink with several ice sculptures placed precisely around the rink. When they turned, they saw a huge wave of Pokémon all chatting among themselves.

"Wow this is a major event! It's nearly the same in Spring Town's Season Celebration." Mat commented as he looked at the set-up. Arthur leapt off his seat and hung on the railing while looking down at the stage. "Be careful there, Arthur."

"Don't worry!" Arthur cheerfully responded as he lifted himself onto the marble railing and is now walking dangerously on it. Suddenly, he slipped and fell back on the floor of the Viewing platform.

"Told you to be careful! Always listen to those who are older than you." Arthur sweat-dropped and he got back up on his paws. "Anything broken?"

"Except for my pride and possibly some muscles strains, nothing else is broken."

In the meantime, Frosty had just finished smooth down the dress on Crystal. Pyona had just popped in to tell them that the event is about to start before leaving quickly.

"Well good luck out there, don't worry about the Pokémon watching you and I made sure the music has no pauses." Frosty elaborated to Crystal. "Well I will be supporting you from the viewing platform like last time." They both did a funny paw gesture to each other before parting ways. To them, that gesture was a traditional way of saying good luck. They invented it when they were younger. Frosty unfolded the hood and covered her face and quietly sneaked out of the backstage and into the viewing platform where she met her friends.

"Where is Sakura?" Frosty asked as she took off her hood. "I have bad news; The King and Queen of Sun-Grove are here along with Spring Town's and Dark Wood's Leaders are also here." That news stuck Arthur and Mat like an arrow to the heart. Fear started to spread around the group while Sakura was still fast asleep on one of the chairs.

"We need hide her somewhere!" Arthur suggested. Frosty face-pawed and just chanted one of her spells.

**~Before Things Get Terrible, Make My Friend, Sakura, invisible~ **Sakura then turned invisible but her necklace is now visible. Frosty covered Sakura's body with the black robes and finally the ceremony is starting.

"Greetings to all Pokémon!" announced Pyona. "Welcome To Icicle Castle's annual Season Celebration." Cheering and clapping drowned Pyona and when it settled Pyona took advantage of the moment of silence. "This year's snow maiden is none other than our princess, Frosty!" A larger wave of cheering came by. Crystal was feeling the pressure behind the curtain. "Now we are going to introduce our respective guests."

As Pyona introduce each of the guests, Sakura suddenly woke up. Sakura did not know that she was invisible so she just leapt of the chair to stretch herself. Arthur, who just happens to turn around to check on Sakura, noticed that she was missing.

"Frosty! Can you please undo your spell, I think Sakura woke up and wandered off." Arthur asked in a panic. Frosty quickly reacted and recited the counter spell and the invisibility cover over Sakura just liquefied off. Sakura turned around and the rest was relieved and they turned their attention back onto the main event. Sakura left up and sat together with Arthur on the same chair. Arthur looked at her with loving eyes but quickly turned back as they both enjoyed the night together.

When finally the curtains flew open and gentle, ambient music played. Crystal delicately skated in the inner ice pond. The entire city observed silence as they watched Crystal gracefully did the first movement. The special Fire-In-Ice formed interesting spotlights and the new dress reflected the light. Arthur and Sakura both swayed along with the music, the contrast of their two different tones of brown and cream fur and their sparkly eyes was lovely. Sakura was gently resting her head on Arthur's shoulders and making both of them blushes shyly. Suddenly the music changed, from a tender and soothing sound to sudden battle music. Crystal's skated out of the first rink that was at the back and in to the second which was bigger. Her movements are now faster and a lot more complex than the first movement. There are several twirls and spins to the second movement compared to the gentle skating in the first movement. Using Pokémon's natural abilities, snowflakes rained down on the second rink. There are a total of three rinks on the stage. Each one getting increasingly bigger and they are connected to each other with a stretch of ice that forms an exterior circle. Frosty shifted uneasily in her seat and Arthur noticed it.

"What's wrong?" he asked and Frosty swallowed and replied.

"It was approaching the third movement that she made her trip after the huge leap. I am getting worried that she might not make it."

Frosty was right as Crystal was indeed becoming more nervous as the huge leap is about to come. She twirled once more to the left then skated backwards in a circle. The Battle Music turned to heartrending slow funeral pace. Crystal's whirls and twirls are just getting even more intense while her skating pace slows down.

"Well I have my paws crossed for this," Frosty commented. As when she muttered that, Crystal leapt up and the music slowly faded off slightly and she smacked down…


	23. Chapter 23

Crystal smacked down while whether she was successful or not, Frosty do not know as she hid her face under the hood. She anxiously waited for a cheery clap or something to break the silence. Sakura was the first one to break the silence.

"She did it!" she whispered to Frosty who then opened her eyes to see Crystal had landed perfectly. Then soon the third movement commenced. The third movement is the highest degree of the dance as it consisted of the most difficult and intensive skating moves. The music started again with a speedy pace. The third movement was what Crystal has been practicing for a long time. The ice rink began to ascend or descend and Crystal has to jump to the three main while the field changes into a complete circle. With the powdery substance gently making every move mystical, the audience was just awestruck.

Suddenly disaster stuck as Sakura's novice skill at Magic caused her transfiguration spell to dispel before a day has passed. Crystal and Frosty both got covered in a pink cloud and before they knew it. They are back to their original forms. Crystal realized what happened and was being to panic. While Frosty remained calm and just waited for the smoke to clear and before you knew it. She used the smoke as a cover to teleport down to Crystal and the timing could not have been more perfect as the dance came to an end. Thus when the smoke cleared, the audience saw both of them standing together and started to mutter. Frosty requested for the microphone for the bewildered Pyona who passed it to Frosty.

"Hello everyone, there is an explanation for this…" Frosty started. "If you remember last year. My sister, Crystal, was the Snow Maiden." Some Pok?on nodded. "Well she fell because of me!" Most of the Pok?on gasped including Crystal and Sakura. "So I made it up to her by letting her take my place. That is all!" Frosty and Crystal both left the scene together but as they left there was a huge cheer that puts a smile on their faces. Mat, Arthur and Sakura left too. Mat pulled the blanket over Sakura as she walked.

"What is this for?" asked Sakura. Arthur just whispered to her.

"There are some bad people who would kidnap you, so we are making sure you are safe." Arthur explained and Sakura nodded but as they walked through the main castle lobby. The Queen of Sun-Grove and the King of Sun-Grove bumped into them. Sakura's cover fell off and Arthur had to use his tail to cover her face.

"Oh! Hello there, young ones!" greeted the Queen Of Sun-Grove, Elise, as she saw them. Crystal and Frosty both was just happen to be passing by. "Who is the girl that is swallowing your tail?" Arthur blushed while Mat covered Sakura with the blanket that slipped off.

"Oh… she is just very shy, if you would excuse us…" Arthur replied in attempt to hide Sakura. Crystal and Frosty saw the trouble and decided to help by distracting the King and Queen's attention by engaging them in a conversation. As the trio tried to slip away, Sakura's necklace chain broke and the key dropped loudly attracting the attention. The King and Queen were able to take a clear glance at the necklace before Sakura scooped it up with her paw.

"Excuse me there! That key looks familiar do you mind if we take a look at it?" asked The King. Sakura took the cue to run off but as she ran off, the blanket flew off of her. She was partly revealed before she used her Magic Teleport and just vanished. "Wait a minute that girl can do Magic?" The King added but everyone else; Arthur, Mat, Frosty and Crystal all disappeared, leaving him and his Queen. Sakura Magically Teleported to the greenhouse and the vicious plants actually greeted her.

"Hello! How are we doing today!" called out Sakura as the plants all came close enough for her to pet them. "Oh you need more water." Sakura gasped as saw the dried out leaf on one of the plants. ~Whether they are big or small, they need some water to live~ and a small little rain-cloud formed and it showered on the plant. The plants enjoyed the shower of water and to repay Sakura, they let her smell their fragrant flowers and enjoy the natural aromatherapy. They also provided her some tough string to repair her necklace's chain.

Meanwhile, after sharply shutting the door, Crystal, Frosty, Mat and Arthur collapsed in the room that they sought refuge in. Frosty and Crystal both exchanged clothes while Arthur and Mat heaved a sigh of relief as it was very tense earlier. Frosty and Crystal both came out wearing their respective clothing and from there they tried to make a plan.

"Ok we saw the Kings and Queens just now. They will be in Icicle Castle for the rest of today and tomorrow." Crystal started the discussion. "They will mostly taking the royal tour around the castle so it might be best to leave by today or we will risk Sakura being found out."

"That sounds easy enough!" Mat commented. "All we need to is sneak out the back way through the greenhouse and then into town and out of into the outskirts." Everyone thought it over and Crystal raised a strange question.

"It won't work… Icicle Castle now uses Magical Barriers to safeguard the town. It is only lifted at the crack of dawn."

"So if we want to make sure we don't jeopardize the security, we need to risk it by leaving at daybreak." Frosty finished and they all agreed but they need to come up with some counter procedures for Sakura; but they need to find Sakura first. Crystal knew a spell from her arcane spell book which was meant for expert Magic Users. She formed a spiritual sphere and then it grew bigger into the size of a hula hoop.

~Mirror mirror of all sight, show us all what we need to know~ Crystal chanted and then she muttered Sakura's name and the dense fog in the sphere started to clear out gradually until they could see Sakura in the green house with the vegetation. "Well she is fine in the green house. Nobody really goes into the vicious plants section."

"Crystal, we got a celebration to tend to!" Frosty shouted after remembering that there was still a celebration outside.

"The celebrations! I forgot!" Crystal cried out and the both of them quickly sprinted off, leaving Mat and Arthur alone.

"Well let's go find Sakura," Arthur suggested and Mat simply went along.

Meanwhile, in one of the royal guestroom, Elise was pacing around angrily while The King was talking with a servant Pok?on outside the door. So that girl is still alive! That Xatu was completely useless and now he had run off and hid. No matter, all I need to do is to think of a plan.

"So what is that little Eevee's name?" The Queen overheard from the wooden door, although she did not hear the name but she was convinced that it was the same girl. The King soon came back in with a confused expression on his face.

"What's the matter?" Elise asked as The King settled down beside her.

"Well that girl we bumped into earlier… She isn't a servant in this castle but a visitor invited personally by the princesses of Icicle Castle."

"Really? Who knew such a girl could be friends with princesses."

"But what astonishes me more is that key she dropped. That key looked awfully familiar."

"Try not to stress yourself, we are here on a vacation aren't we?"

"You're right… I guess. I need some air…" With that The King left The Queen and went for a walk.

At the same time, Sakura just finished tending to her floral friends and was just leaving the green house, feeling refreshed. Arthur and Mat meet up with her shortly in the corridor and passed her the blanket from earlier.

"Do I really have to wear this?" asked Sakura as Arthur secured it round her neck, forming a kind of hood over her face.

"Well just wear it for today, ok?" Arthur tried to reason and Sakura just went along; and lucky she did as at that moment, they bumped into The King which was her Dad.

"Oh hello there, didn't we met at the lobby earlier?" Arthur then slowly backed up and whispered into Sakura's ear.

"Ok just keep quiet and play along."

"Yes we did, sir." Mat greeted. "Sorry about our friend running off." They managed to make it look convincing with Sakura hiding shyly behind Arthur. "If you don't mind, we will be on our merry way." However before they could slip away again, The King made an interesting request.

"May I talk with the girl?" asked The King and that made everyone nervous. The King was waiting for an answer and Arthur just nodded and nudged Mat to go away with him. Now alone, Sakura was feeling extremely tense and it was clearly showing with her shivering out of control. "Relax… I just want to talk to you. Where are you from?"

"I am from Sun-Grove but I am studying in Lavinder Town." Sakura stuttered as she tries to hide her face.

"Where did you get that necklace you dropped earlier?"

"It's from my mom who passed away when I was born…" Sakura replied who was then cut off by the King himself.

"What is your name?" asked The King, there was a hint of intensity in his voice and a look like he might know her.

"My name is Sakura…" Sakura started before someone teleported her away and finished the conversation rudely.

The King managed to hear the name and was thinking real hard. Sakura… where have I heard that name before? It seems like a long time ago but where? As The King thought on, Sakura was teleported by Crystal to a backstage where she and Frosty was.

"What did you tell that guy?" Crystal asked, her voice sounded dire. "Come on, girl. Spill it!"

"Sis, I think you are about to choke her," Frosty commented as Sakura had her life nearly strangled out of her. Crystal noticed and just stopped trying to murder her. "Sakura are you alright? Arthur and Mat came to find us as soon as possible and we teleported you here." Sakura was gasping for air and coughing before she finally spoke.

"He just asked me all sorts of strange questions like; where am I from, where I got the necklace and my name." Sakura listed. Crystal looked like she can faint on the spot. "And I answered them but I am not too sure if he heard all of the answers as you teleported me suddenly, he may not have heard my name."

"I hope not as you nearly gave away your secret identity." Crystal chided Sakura. "Do not just give Pok?on your secrets." Sakura nodded sadly as they all reunited and continued with the Celebration together. They were at the same stage where Crystal did her dance but the floor has been changed to a solid wood. Crystal made a copy of her Arcane Robes for Sakura to wear instead of the blanket which Crystal took back. They all stood on the stage platform to watch the final mass dance and finally end it with a fabulous display of Icicle Fireworks. Frosty got a partner from the crowd and went with him for the mass dance. Mat invited Crystal to dance and they both did their dance on stage. Arthur took the chance and asked Sakura and they too dance on stage. Both sets of dancers had to stand on their hind legs and rely on the other partner for support. The mysterious spotlight was turned on and one of them followed Crystal and Mat while another followed Sakura and Arthur. Unknown to the crowd, there was a magically feeling in the air while the two couple danced the night away. Arthur and Sakura both bashfully blushed at each other and looked at the other with twinkling eyes. Mat and Crystal was doing the same except that Crystal was making them both do complex dance moves. Mat learned that Crystal enjoys to be twirled around and tries his best to please her. As the moment could not have been more perfect for the two couples, the 'legendary' Icicle Fireworks was fired into the starry sky and it exploded into a spectacular rainfall of snowflakes. And the music that was playing the whole time through the mass dance made the whole moment unforgettable. Smiles spread across every Pok?on's faces like wild fire.

"Sakura?" Arthur asked as they are dancing.

"Yeah?"

"There is always something I wanted to tell you…"

"Really? Me too…"

"I love you…" said the both of them at the same time and strangely there seems to be an extra pair of voice who said it as well. It turns out that Crystal and Mat both said it too. As more Fireworks flew up and detonated, the feelings between our couples grew stronger and as soon as music ended they all shared a endearing kiss. As the crowd cheered loudly for the great dancing, some noticed that the two couple on stage were kissing and cheered loudly. The news moved through the crowd and they all clapped happily for them for finding the Pok?on they love.

"Crystal… Congratulations on finding your true love. This is really your year to be happy." Frosty softly muttered as she cried for Crystal's bliss. The kiss seems to last forever for Sakura, she never really knew what paradise was before but now she has a clear idea of it. Time seems to slow down gradually to a stand-still as the snowflakes seem to fall evermore slowly to the ground where they vaporize straight into water. The beloved Icicle Castle never looked more beautiful to the young Eevee's eyes; with all of the snow fireflies and also the houses carved out of never-melting ice glittering in the moon and the lights of the celebrations. Soon it ended and the departed the stage together with noble hearts and redden faces but all the while cheerful.


	24. Chapter 24

A misty morning came to Icicle Castle after the eventful night that took place. Mutual feelings flowed out that night and now they are sleeping blissfully in their beds, restless as they confessed whatever secretive feelings they yield for each other. As the sunlight pierced the thin mist blanket and through the frost tainted windows, Sakura and Arthur both woke up jointly and yawned together too.

"Oh good morning, Sakura!" Arthur greeted as he rubbed his eyes. And Sakura yawned as she woke up and glanced at him with her sparkling eyes that he loves so much.

"Good morning to you too." Sakura responded as she got out of the bed and used the toilet in their guest room. Arthur slid open the window linking the main room to the balcony and went outside, remembering to wear at least a layer of clothing. Icicle Castle was still enjoying the celebrations from last night; Pok?on are still singing songs or dancing with their last ounce of strength. While some Pok?on are cleaning up the remains that the mass dance left, Arthur turned and went back inside and Sakura came out the bathroom and Arthur took his turn. Sakura was licking herself spotless when someone knocked on their door. "Come in!" And Crystal, Mat and Frosty came in. Everyone looks refreshed from yesterday's night and ready to face the gruesome day ahead.

"Sakura, I made these for you. Put them on before we all set off." Crystal said to Sakura, passing her a bag with; An Arcane Spell Book, A new set of pink colored robes and also a bracelet that amplifies Magical Powers. Sakura kept the Robes she received yesterday into the bag and then changed into the Pink Robes and Bracelet when Arthur came out of the lavatory. They all then gathered in the lobby together before departing out of the main gates of the Castle. However, Frosty stayed behind as she could not travel very far. They proceeded on the route back to Lavinder Town, however unlike the last time they walked down the streets. Crystal was walking normally and Pok?on actually greeted her. Sakura had to wear the Robes with the hood over her head until they are in the cover of Frozen Forest. Arthur was constantly taking momentary glances at her but he could help himself at all. Sakura was felt rather hot under the Robes as they are Magically Enchanted to be adjusting to the environment and adjust the wearer's temperature to room temperature. However they are not meant to recognize winds or temperature exchanges. The stone path finally turn to dirt when they walked out of the main walls and it was great timing as the Magical Safeguards started and the door closed shut before their backs. The area was covered in a thick blanket of Snow from the blizzard during midnight. The group soon came to a crossroad.

"So where do we go from here?" inquired Arthur and Crystal did a simple incantation.

~North, South, East, West are all points of a compass, so point to us where we should pass~ with the spell she lobbed an orb that flew in a certain direction and they took the path and the orb just gradually disappeared into thin air. As they enter the dark shadows of Frozen Forest, Sakura finally took off her hood and suddenly everyone was put on alert by a sound. "Stay sharp, someone is here…" Crystal whispered as they move in a defensive formation and when they reach the first clearing, they were attacked by Raiders. An electric net flew down and forced them to scatter. When they are separated, the Raider Pok?on leapt out of the bushes and tried to pin them to the ground. Mat, Arthur and Crystal charged up Energy Ball, Shadow Ball and Frozen Orb respectively and then launched it in all direction. Each of the attacks hit at least two Pok?on each and they kept the momentum and carried on firing. Sakura was hiding in the middle of the three as she has virtually no good fighting abilities. She has Heal Bell that can help her friends but so far her associates as doing a swell job of parrying attacks. They stayed in formation as they slowly fended off the attack and soon the Raiders gave it up and ran for it.

"Now that is just strange… why did they attack us for no reason?" Crystal muttered as they finally eased up and came to a stop by a spring. As they rest up, they heard something coming. It sounded similar to a carriage. Crystal lifted Sakura's hood over her head before they all met a new face.

"My! Aren't you four from the castle the other day?" asked a Skitty who poked her head out of the carriage window. "My name is Katie, may I ask where all of you are heading?"

"Lavinder Town, we are students in the famous Pok?on Academy," Arthur explained and Katie then opened the carriage door.

"I am heading there too so why not get a ride with me?" Katie offered. Crystal was being a little suspicious when she saw the Sun-Grove coat of arms on the carriage. However, she went along with everyone else but she ensured that Sakura's face is still hidden and accepted the kind offer that Katie provided them. The Carriage was painted bright gold and it is moving on its own by Magic. The trip was fairly noisy and cheerful except for Sakura who was feeling rather uncomfortable sitting in a fairly expensive stagecoach so she gazed out the window and looked at the passing fields and trees, looking distant and sad.

"Is she alright?" Katie inquired when she saw Sakura looking that she had gone astray.

"She is… just leave her be," Crystal responded gently and Katie took her advice. The Carriage was surprisingly fast as they passed though Lavinder Town's Gates. Lavinder Town has been rebuilt and everyone was going about their daily lives as per normal. Crystal, Mat, Arthur and Sakura were dropped off at the front of Pok?on Academy and then Katie went her merry way. Sakura could finally take off the Robes and slip them into her new bag. Lavinder Town looks almost the way that Arthur and Sakura left it before the Raiders attacked but there are a couple of changes. There was a wall surrounding the town and most of the buildings had been torn down and replaced with a sturdier material. When the group entered the academy, they were bombarded by their friends and nearly hugging them to death. (Except Mat ) Before they died of suffocation, they all are mercifully released.

Meanwhile, Katie just finished some paperwork at the New Town Hall when she suddenly got a voice speaking into her ear.

"Katie, did you finish the business at Lavinder Town?" asked the voice. Katie jumped uncomfortably and earning herself strange stares. She quickly detoured into a dark corner before she responded.

"Mom! Why did you do that? That scared the life out of me!" Katie argued back. "Wait how you can speak to me…"

"I planted a tracking spell on you before I let you have your freedom, I can see everything and hear everything." Katie hesitantly gulped when she heard the word 'everything' "That reminds me… I want back home before nightfall…" Katie was about to argue back but the communication ended and she unwillingly got back on the carriage that took her straight back to Sun-Grove.

At the same time, Elise summoned for the Elite Royal Pok?on and they all knelt before her when they arrived.

"What would you have us do, milady?" inquired the Leader.

"I want to 'arrest' someone," Elise muttered darkly into the Leader's ear and gave him a piece of parchment. The Leader took a short glance and saw that it was a wanted poster and said nothing else before taking his leave with his group.

Back at Lavinder town, Sakura was having special combat classes with Crystal. Crystal told Sakura that she needed to toughen up if she wants to stand up for herself and not rely on others too much. They both combined their magical spells to seal off the room from the effects of time and to deter attention of other people. Crystal is teaching Sakura basic Pok?on Attacks for Eevee and also Magic battling as they will never know if Sakura will encounter someone who can use Magic like them. So far, Sakura had not been doing too good as she had just failed to dodge or make a single Iron Tail all afternoon but successfully launch her first Shadow Ball.

"Sakura, I think you need to uncover your Magic Element right now," Crystal said and that left Sakura puzzled. Clearly seeing that Sakura failed to understand what she said, Crystal started to explain. In Magic, there is the Light Magic and Dark Magic. In the Light Magic, Elementals such as Fire and Earth are categorized under it as they are elements that are best in the day while Elementals such as Water and Wind work best at night so they are under Dark Magic. Each Magical Being has an element and it takes just awhile to uncover them and work on it to their potential. The Elements tell more than just their strength, it also tells their character, personality and also their way of life. Crystal came up to Sakura and suddenly something appeared on the ground that surrounded the both of them.

"What is this on the ground?" Sakura asked at a bad time as Crystal had an orb orbiting around her and she blew into it and the orb looked more transparent and changed from a spiritual blue into a gray orb. The light of the strange circle on the ground grew more intense and the orb Crystal summoned started to change its flight path to orbiting the both of them. Sakura suddenly felt something flowing inside of her. The sensation was strangely calming and peaceful that she wanted to just close her eyes and enjoy it. Small beads of water started to form and they merged together and danced around Sakura who looked at them in awe. Crystal smiled as the light faded and the water beads completely became one huge droplet. Strangely to others, it was alive.

"Sakura, meet your element guardian," Crystal said and Sakura turned to face the huge droplet. "The guardian is meant as your guide and friend in using your own elemental powers; everyone has a different ability unless you have a twin or a sibling." Sakura was not listening; instead she was poking at the droplet and only to hear a resonance that sounded like someone is trying to speak underwater.

"Hey! Stop that!" called the water droplet. "It tickles." Sakura was laughing with the liquid ball emitted some light from the core. "Sakura, my name is yours to decide…"

"Wait… Crystal you didn't tell me about this." Sakura asked Crystal who was talking to her own Guardian.

"Well you do have to name them," Crystal replied. "Isn't that right, Lace?"

"That's right!" Lace cheered. "Crystal, you took a long time to pick my name until you…"

"Don't say it please, Lace," Crystal interrupted and Lace immediately stop talking. Sakura was still thinking on a name and then suddenly the time spell ran out of energy. "Oh our training time is up, we need to get ready for the real class." Sakura nodded and then everyone else came in.

"Today we will be working on physical stamina and endurance, everyone pair up and start taking hits!" the new instructor instructed. Arthur and Oliver had always wanted to test their strength against each other so they paired up while Crystal took Sakura under her guidance. Sakura was pretty tired out from the earlier session with Crystal but nonetheless tried her best to keep up with everyone else. Crystal agreed to be the first one to endure her hits so she stood in her position. When the instructor blew the whistle, Sakura started to charge up Shadow Ball. Other Pok?on were more aggressive and they dashed forward and started a close combat with their partners.

Sakura had overcharged her Shadow Ball and she is going to lose control of it within a matter of seconds so she released it. The energy from the Shadow Ball was intensive that there was a shockwave preceding it. Crystal saw that the Shadow Ball can do massive damage to the school if she does not attempt to lower its potential strength. The Shadow Ball attack attracted the attention of everyone else in the room. Sakura was propelled backwards due to the overcharge. Crystal quickly charged her own Frost Glaive while the rest stopped to look. When the Shadow Ball was just inches from Crystal, She let loose her Frost Glaive. The Frost Glaive hit squarely on the Shadow Ball and was pushing it back. Crystal was adding on strength to the Frost Glaive attack and just as the Shadow Ball attack stopped, it rebounded and the Frost Glaive exploded into a frenzy of icicle boomerang. Sakura was just getting up from the impact of the Overcharge and she met face to face with her Shadow Ball. Sakura panicked and used Iron Tail successfully for the first time and it caused her own attack to explode on her, the spinning Icicle Boomerangs all split further and all returned to Crystal and hit her hard.

Crystal had some of her fur trimmed by the sharp edges of her attack and she was struggling to get up after getting hit by the remainder of her Frost Glaive. She is feeling gruesome pain from her chest and her cuts. Sakura, other the other hand, was hit indirectly with an overcharged Shadow Ball along with some input of Crystal's attack. Her fur was messed up and blackened and was losing consciousness as Sakura was hit on the head when she blew backwards after the explosion to the wall.

There was a black tunnel forming around Sakura's vision as she was struggling to stay awake. Arthur rushed up to her with Extreme Speed and was trying to help her. Sakura saw Arthur's worried face before she completely backed out.

Several hours later in the new Infirmary, Jasmine, Oliver, Kyle, Arthur, Mat and Crystal waited anxiously for Sakura to wake up.

"I didn't realize that my attack was going to repel that overcharge right into her…" Crystal muttered with guilt boiling within her.

"It isn't your fault; you were trying to protect the school from the explosion." Mat elaborated. "Arthur, I think you should stay here with her…" One at a time, they slowly got up and walked out of the ward. Arthur lifted up his upper body so that he is standing on his hind legs and his front paws are resting on the edge of the bed. His eyes regretfully stared at Sakura's lifeless and broken body. He felt warm tears rolling down his face and dripping onto the bed lining. Scenes of Sakura when she was smiling brightly at him flashed through his mind as he tightly gripped the bed cover. Arthur slowly bit on to the blanket and pull it up so it would cover Sakura properly before slowly exiting the ward with only the sound of the whirling fans to bid him farewell.


	25. Chapter 25

The rest of the day was proceeding slowly. Arthur, along with Crystal, Jasmine, Olive, Jake and Mat, were having their lunch at the cafeteria. The fragrant aroma of sizzling berries and freshly baked Pok?read filled the room and making everyone's stomach growl with hunger. Everyone just grabbed a tray of food and then went to a vacant seat. The low dining hall tables and chairs are permanently joined together in a circular formation; and the height difference is barely noticeable. The seats just a cushion with a disposable lining; embedded in space allocated in the chairs. The group got a seat and was eating their hearts out. Arthur was simply playing with his last Pecha Berry.

"I thought you are starving. You were asking about the food before Battle Class." Oliver asked Arthur after finishing his meal of roasted Cheri Berry. "What happened? Lost the sweetness to your tongue?"

"No… I just lost my appetite; you can have this berry if you want." Arthur replied rolling the Pecha berry towards Oliver.

"Don't mind if I do then…"

"Oh I forgot to mention, I spat out that berry out earlier." Arthur finished and Oliver, who already took a bite out of the leftover, spit the remainder out and glared at Arthur. "I choked on it…" Jasmine giggled at the scene with Crystal who also found it hilarious. Oliver placed down the Pecha Berry and took a napkin and wiped his face clean.

Meanwhile, back in the infirmary, Sakura slowly opened her violet eyes and gently sat up. The smell of medications and pills was overwhelming. Feeling a slight headache from the earlier concussion, Sakura slowly looked around the unfamiliar environment.

"Oh you woke up already?" someone said and Sakura turned to see Alice sorting out the medicine cabinet.

"Alice, you are alright!"

"Of course, I just need to rest that's all. I reckon you want to go to your friends now." Alice suggested and Sakura flipped off the blanket and leapt off the bed and walked out the door after waving a cheery goodbye to Alice. As Sakura wandered through the vast hallway, she suddenly felt extremely strange and she tried to head back to the infirmary. Hey body started to hurt In numerous and unusual locations and looking at a nearby reflection from a glass panel nearby; her eyes are flicking between a spiritual blue to her sparkling violet eyes. Her head is pounding hard and her vision is slowly going out of focus before finally the dark tunnel engulfed her vision completely and she collapsed heavily onto the floor.

Back at the Cafeteria, Arthur just wandered out aimlessly along with the rest of the group as they made their way to the infirmary to visit Sakura who they believe was still asleep.

"Oh shoot, I should have saved that Pecha Berry for her," Arthur muttered to himself.

"Look Arthur, I know that you love her and all but you need to control yourself," Mat commented.

"Mat, why do you just speak for yourself, you do the same when I talk to you," Crystal said and as clear as day, Mat's speech melted down like his heart to Crystal. "Looks like I proofed my point." Kyle let out a restrained chuckle that he wisely changed into a cough. Suddenly, the lights in the immeasurable corridor went dark. Using Oliver's tail flame and sunlight seeping in from the windows to help illustrate their path, they continue onwards. Some of them had fear slowly creeping up their spines and when all of a sudden, Jake tripped on something furry and smacked headlong onto the floor.

"What is this stupid thing I tripped over?" Jake growled as he rubbed his busied forehead and out of frustration kicked it hard.

"Wait a minute… why does this 'thing' have fur?" asked Oliver as his tail flame lit up the 'thing' "Arthur, get Alice now!" Alice came out in time to help lug Sakura back onto her bed. As Alice worked franticly, an occasional shock surged across Sakura body. Only Crystal notice while the others saw Sakura move without a logical explanation.

"Looks like she is having a nightmare," Alice commented as she opened the door. "I will be fetching more berries from the new berry garden. Arthur, please avoid standing for too long." As the door closed behind her, Crystal suddenly did 'something' as the rims of the room glowed. Everyone as confused at first but they then recalled a saying: If anything is abnormal, it's most likely magic. Crystal glared at Sakura who suddenly just jerked.

"Do you see it? That blue static electricity!" Crystal exclaimed while the rest just looked at her, bewildered. She irritated started to recite a spell: Say what you say, say what you mean. One thing leads to another, now see what I mean. A blinding flash of light later, everyone see what Crystal meant. Earlier they presumed that Sakura was having a nightmare but now they are seeing a trickle of electricity constantly zapping her. Arthur was trying to wake her up and in his desperation, tried licking her in the face. (This also failed miserably)

"What are you doing?' asked Mat looking at Arthur.

"I had to try my luck." Arthur muttered as he blushed madly and leapt off the table.

"Regardless! We need to give her Charm Berries; this condition is uncommon but known to magic users." Crystal elaborated. "This happens mostly to younglings who just got their full powers. That means Sakura is can do magic without getting tired out easily." Suddenly, Jake raised a notable point. Sakura is naturally allergic to Charm Berries, it often led her to be totally unpredictable and everyone can tell that a disaster would happen within seconds. This first started when Jasmine got a butterfly clip sprinkled with powdered Charm Berry that causes Pok?on's abilities to kick start and played a joke on others until Sakura got some on her nose and went in frenzy.

"Oh yeah… nearly forgot about her allergies," Crystal commented. "But that is the only cure or this will just worsen."

Quite unexpectedly, the ground started to shake and it seemed like Sakura's full powers at starting to peak and out of the blue started to affect the environment around her. Alice burst through the ward's door and got everyone to evacuate. Unknowingly, the earthquake's magnitude grew into a state that the building might just come crashing down.

"Alice! Do you have a Charm Berry?" Crystal asked and Alice did not respond but quickly opened her bag and threw one. Since Crystal was carrying Sakura, she slid into a rough stop and quickly stuffed the Charm Berry into Sakura's mouth. Silence followed soon afterwards.

Several hours later, Sakura opened her eyes. Her vision was still blurry. As her eyes slowly focused, she was feeling refreshed but strangely a little cold. She tried to move but her legs appear to be at a standstill. She looked down and she was encased inside a block of ice. She quickly panicked and looked around to see her friends sleeping and most of them looked like they got beaten up rather badly. Sakura suddenly felt that she had a concussion and when she tried numbing the pain; the ice glowed and then exploded around her thus releasing her without a scratch. The sound of the explosion woke everyone up. Sakura suddenly looked at a clock and to her surprise: it was early morning. Arthur was the first one to tackle her. Her body flew backwards and just before it hit a wall; she stopped in mid-air and slowly returned to her feet. Wow I am using Magic like its second nature, Sakura thought.

"Sakura, are you still a crazy lunatic?" Arthur questioned only earning him an uncomfortable glare from Sakura. "Guess not… the last time I asked that; I got the wind knocked out of me." Sakura was not too offended by Arthur's unintentional comments; she is too contented with her new found abilities. Crystal who also got up hurled a pillow at Arthur. (With Telekinesis)

"Keep it down, love birds!" yelled Crystal out of frustration and tried to go back to sleep. The word 'love birds' made both Arthur and Sakura stare at each other and feel embarrassed. Sakura 'flew' to the top of her bunk bed and went to sleep while Arthur took the pillow that Crystal threw at him and returned it before hitting the hay himself.

They did not feel like they slept long before the first bell sounded in Lavinder Town. Almost on cue, Sakura fell off her bunk bed again and went headlong to the ground but with her new abilities, she stopped for a few seconds before landing softly. Sakura quickly got up and was nearly surprised that she and Arthur were the last to wake up. Sakura attempted to wake him up when something happened to her.

From out of the blue, Sakura felt that she was encased in a sort of cage which is hexagonal and instead of metal bars; it was a strange barrier that is transparent and nearly invisible. Overcame with fear and feeling claustrophobic, Sakura tried screaming for help. Arthur merely changed sides like he could not even hear Sakura at all. Sakura, realizing that the cage is sound proof, did not bother to try again. When she was thinking on how to escape, she felt the cage being lifted up and she lost her balance and toppled over. She inspected the top and noticed that the cage was moving by itself and then an idea hit her: Magic. She charged up slowly while inside the cage and was hoping to explode it open. As she is charging up, she saw four unfamiliar figures standing in a circle: a Vulpix, Golduck, Turtwig and Swablu. A burst of light later, Sakura landed on the rooftop; in the middle of the four.

Sakura had a feeling they all know about Magic and therefore she needs to be more careful. Without warning they all summoned an orb that is all different colors: Red, Blue, Green and Gray. Those orbs interlinked with a glowing white bond. Sakura slowly saw the square formation magic closing in on her and gradually she felt restrained. The square formation emitted a somewhat of a force that is pressing down on her from all sides and administering a heavy shock to her every few seconds. She withered to the ground in pain, unable to move with her front legs that are forcefully attached to her sides. She unintentionally made a bubble shield around her. The energy difference from inside the bubble caused the fire orb to burn out and thus breaking the formation completely. Sakura scrambled to get up to her feet.

"Looks like she will be more troublesome than I first anticipated." Vulpix stated as the rest of the group formed up behind him. "I wonder if she can deal with a battle." Without any further delay, they started to summon more orbs to their sides and they slowly turned into their respective elements. Sakura got a chill and decided to make a break for it. She teleported back down and ran for dear life. When she out in the corridor, she felt for a moment that she was safe and stopped to catch her breath. Fireballs are now flying by dangerously close to her head before she broke into another sprint. Her pursuers are all levitating and starting to use various offensive magic to slow her down. As Sakura skid across the floor to make a sharp turn; she was hit with a wave of water that smack her onto a wall. Ouch! I can't give up; I need to find Crystal. Sakura thought furiously as she got up quickly and continued to flee. A burst of nature grew right in her way and two ferocious plants looked at her as Sakura pulled on her brakes and halted right before them. They were intending to attack at first but Sakura has an unusual ability to understand plants better than others; it helped her to make friends with them and even get their help to slow down her chasers. The plants managed to grab hold of two of her hunters and left them struggling helplessly. As the door to the courtyard came into view, Sakura was wearing a ghost of a smile. She, on the spur of the moment, was propelled forward by a strong gale of wind that she went headlong through the door and slid painfully on the rough ground.

A strange sensation was bubbling inside Sakura as she lifted herself up. Her elemental guardian came out from within here and it spoke with the same mysterious tone. "Sakura, those Pok?on will catch up you eventually! You have to fight no matter how much you want to evade it." Sakura got a sneaking suspicion that the guardian is meant to be her conscience, and she knows that her guardian is right. She then stood her ground and orbs are now orbiting her. When the four came out of the door, they were surprised to see Sakura standing there.

"So decided to stay and fight? Don't worry we will make this quick." Vulpix sneered. "Which one of you wants to have first crack at the little girl?" Vulpix eyed Turtwig and he step forward. Sakura felt uncomfortable facing Turtwig and his brown orbs as water does not do well against earth. Turtwig first sent an earthquake at her causing her to lose her balance and then hurled rocks at Sakura. Sakura remembered the bubble shield that helped her earlier and used it to deflect the incoming rocks. She then used the initial energy of the bubble shield to unleash a water wall. Turtwig narrowly dodged it and he abandoned the use of magic and resolved to regular attacks. Turtwig charged forward and Sakura was caught off guard and was pushed backwards.

"What is going here?" someone asked and they all turn to find Crystal and the rest of Sakura's friends.

"They just attacked me all of a sudden!" Sakura said but before she can further explain she got knocked out with an intense fire attack; leaving her fur smoking.

"This girl is a wanted criminal by Sun-Grove, take a look at this." Vulpix declared boldly and snatched up the necklace that Sakura was wearing; held it up. "This is what she stole. It's the key that unlocks one of the many vaults inside Sun-Grove Castle." Crystal was at a loss of words; unable to explain everything properly without exposing Sakura.

"That key rightfully belongs to her!" someone yelled, Crystal spun around to see that it was Arthur. "She is the true princess of Sun-Grove, not a thief!"

"Arthur what are you doing!" exclaimed Crystal, looking horrified.

"Telling the truth, Crystal! Sakura cannot keep running away forever, she has to admit it one day!" Arthur argued. "I know that you want to protect her from the life you suffered, but like you, she can make her own decisions!" Crystal and Arthur were at a stand-off, they both are now staring at each other with a mixture of anger and concern. Vulpix, the leader of the group: Royal Elite Guards looked at this with seriousness.

"So it's true?" asked Vulpix as he looked at the necklace itself to Sakura. "She is the princess? This is a serious accusation; if it's not true, you could be charged of being her accomplice." Arthur rudely bypassed Crystal and walked up to Vulpix and stared straight into his eyes.

"Why don't you use Magic and find out if it's true, I am staking my life on it." Arthur whispered darkly. Vulpix, taken back by the 'staking my life on it' comment, did as requested. He first went over to Sakura and placed a paw on her forehead and closed his eyes. Secrets beyond believe, truth buried deep; to be sure, show me depths of your mind. The spell's effect was immediate; Vulpix dove deep into Sakura's memories as a spiritual apparition. It all started when Sakura was an egg and in a state that she could hear.

"Doctor! She is really weak!" said a panicking voice.

"This is not good, she might not make it! Quickly we need to at least save the egg or we will lose two lives!"

"Yes sir!" After that, there was a lot of fumbling and whispers. Sounds of a tinkering metal could be heard clearly. The scariest sound to listen to is the heart monitor. It was beating very dangerously slow. The foreboding event was about to happen.

"Doctor! The egg is sa…" The voice was cut off by a wave of panic when the heart monitor when completely flat.

"No… NO! This could not have happen, it shouldn't have happened!" a helpless voice which belonged to Rita. This was soon followed up by a sound of the door closing shut.

"What is the patient's name; I got paperwork to file in…" another sad voice muttered. "She… is the Queen, Lesley."

"Wait… a minute, is this, another egg?" asked the doctor who, with a lot of difficulty, rescued it. "It feels cold, tell Rita to put this in the other incubator." After this, the memories fast forward through time and presumed normal speed at another scene. It was at the old Pok?cademy, when she was first given the necklace.

"Sakura may I have a word with you?" Alice asked and Sakura nodded before hurrying her to an empty corridor.

"I think that you should have this…" Alice clipped the necklace onto Sakura. The same kind that Vulpix had accuses her of stealing. "It belonged to your mother and it's time that I pass it to you."

"Mom…" With that scene, Vulpix retreated back to reality before he intrudes on anything personal.


	26. Chapter 26

Vulpix toppled backwards after diving into Sakura's memories. Taking time to digest what he just witnessed.

"Sir, what did you see?" asked Swablu as he landed next to Vulpix who was clearly thinking hard. "Sir, are you alright?" Vulpix looked shocked as he dropped the key he was holding.

"This is serious… This girl is the princess and the Queen ordered us to arrest her for theft of something that belongs to her." Vulpix muttered blankly. "Turtwig, help our lady." Turtwig, followed orders, did a channeling spell that transfers some of his energy to Sakura.

"Sir, what do we do now?" asked Golduck, glaring at Vulpix who seems to have pulled himself together from the side-effects of the spell he did.

"We need to clear this out…" Vulpix whispered and looking at the key. "And fast, this could affect the future of Sun-Grove. Prepare the Mass Teleport Gem."

"As you wish," Golduck replied and he went elsewhere. Sakura just got up, slightly shaken. She felt a heavy concussion on her head. Arthur went to her sides to comfort her as Sakura had tears slowly form in her violet eyes.

"It's ok…" Arthur recited over and over while stroking Sakura's head as it lay on his shoulders. "Everything will be over, I promise. Now please excuse me…" Arthur reluctantly left Sakura to Jake and Jasmine's care and went to talk with Crystal. They walked slowly to a quiet location before they even say one syllable.

"Arthur, what were you thinking?" Crystal bellowed furiously. "This is an outrage! You just gave Sakura a one-way 'ticket' to a life that she doesn't want!"

"And how long can you keep this 'ticket' from being handed out? The Queen herself is totally aware of her and is working to get rid of her!" Arthur elaborated angrily. "How many more guards or Pok?on she will send? Look at her!" Crystal then took a peep at Sakura; face tear-stained and has clearly reached the limit that she could take of this crazy incident. It was simply heart-breaking to see Sakura like this; she is always cheerful and made others smile. Sakura had endured more than most Pok?on as she had a depressing family life; it was already a miracle that she could even smile. Crystal tucked her head back with a horrible look on her face.

"See what I mean Crystal…" Arthur spoke forebodingly. "She has to face the truth someday and when she finally does, she will be truly happy. Even you know that; you did it before." Crystal ran out of room for argument but then she found a fatal point.

"Can I ask? What if this plan of yours backfires?" Crystal muttered. Arthur also hit a 'wall' at that comment. "What if she could not handle it?" Arthur bit his lip and was thinking hard but someone interrupted them.

"Not to disturb you, but we need to travel to Sun-Grove now to clear this matter once and for all." Jasmine explained as she came around the corner. Crystal and Arthur looked at each other; both not finished with the subject. There was a portal at the courtyard and Sakura was nowhere in sight. Jake explained that they pushed her into the portal by accident as she wanted to go to the toilet to wash up and then Jake tripped and just when the portal opened up, she fell through. Arthur panicked and rushed into the portal; the rest followed his lead. The travel through the portal was extremely unpleasant; it was like swimming through water that they could breathe. Before the dark tunnel around their eyes could engulf them into a never-ending world of pitch black, they landed unsteadily in an unknown location.

When Arthur's vision finally focused, he was standing in the middle of a mammoth, circular room. Arthur had to duck in order to dodge a Water Blade coming over his head: the Queen and Sakura are doing battle at the moment. Sakura lack experience and ability compared to the Queen Elise who was a countess and has mastered the art of magic. Elise made almost no effort to deflect Sakura's attacks and return extremely powerful counters. Then the others collapsed out of the portal. Crystal instantly got to her feet (she is used to travelling by portals), she tried to help Sakura but she was engaged by the other guards. Sakura was just hit by a tornado attack and pushed against the wall so forcefully that the wall cracked under the pressure. The other guards were putting up a tough fight for Crystal. Sakura, who cannot continue fighting, fell flat on the floor.

"Stop!" yelled Arthur, but strangely it was more than one voice yelling at the same time. They spun around to see the King standing by the doorway.

"I demand an explanation for thi…" the King started before noticing Sakura barely a few inches from him, unconscious and her necklace was gleaming brightly. (After she took it back earlier) "What happened here?" He looked grave. He could recognize Sakura from one look due to an overwhelming feature: her trademark necklace. "Explain! You!" He directed it at the Queen.

"She is the thief and this…" Elise spoke angrily and snatched up the key from Sakura's neck. "This is the key to the arcane vault at the East Tower." To most Pok?on's surprise, the King stopped her from further amplification.

"I did my own research… I had planted a tracking spell onto Vulpix early on. I seen and heard everything I needed to know." The King said as he paced around. "That necklace was not stolen but given, to the last Queen." This shocking revelation came as a surprise to everyone except Sakura, who is unconscious. Taking the key from the Queen and gently gave it back to Sakura.

"This is preposterous! You can't be serious about this!" the Queen menacingly uttered. Then Katie came into the room and helped up Sakura who was still unconscious. "Katie, please don't tell me you are betraying me too."

"Sorry mom… but I can't live a life like this!" Katie proclaimed. Elise suddenly went mad and started to curse and attack everything she could find. Everyone tried to combat her; Elise is proofing to be extremely powerful. Sakura just retained her grip on reality and saw that everyone was fighting. She saw her necklace and a burning obsession came over her and it gave her a new-found strength. She felt the surge of energy; a feeling of hope and tranquility. Sakura suddenly had her own Magic Circle appear under her feet. She suddenly knows what to do to prevent anyone from getting hurt from an uncontrollable rage. Sakura felt enlightened and her body as light as a feather, she leapt up high. She could feel it: the magical energy flowing from everything and every Pok?on. It was simply intoxicating that she could not help but to smile broadly and when she landed the energy within her overflowed and began a humongous tidal wave that washed away everything in her path.

Everyone braced themselves but incredibly the water passed through them with hurting them but Elise, in a bitter frenzy, was pushed forcefully out the stained-glass window. Shattering the window into smithereens, Elise fell four stories down and into the dense foliage of the forest while the clouds are slowly covering the sky. Sakura, who used most of her energy to execute the tidal wave, stumbled a few steps and struggled to stand.

"You did it…" Crystal muttered breathlessly. "Sakura, you are amazing!" But when she turned around; things seem to be moving in slow-motion. A sense of dread came when Sakura could not endure it anymore and passed out. As she slowly fell, Arthur had used his remarkable speed to catch Sakura before she hit the ground. "No… please no…" Crystal rushed over only to hear something that made her despair.

"She is not breathing! What's wrong?" Arthur cried out as he supported Sakura. "Crystal. Hurry and tell me!"

"She… oh no…" Crystal stammered. "I don't know, I just don't know. That was the most advanced magic and the spell was her invention."

"Hurry and take her to the Healing Room." The King suggested. The Healing Room was a place of serenity. Sakura would have loved it if she was conscious. In the middle of room, it was an altar that Sakura was gently laid on. The rest of the room was like an immense tropical rainforest with a replica of Sun-Falls. Magic Circles are abundant in this room, they are moving around freely and at random. The runes on the stone circle around the altar lit up like a Christmas tree. Everyone left Sakura to nature's caring hands. Arthur, who could not understand magic, just sank down and unable to say anything. Crystal, on the other hand, was horror-stricken and unable to mutter a single phrase. Jake and Mat were both standing around. Vulpix was trying to explain to the king for starting the portal inside the castle which permission but the King merely silenced him with a look.

"Excuse me, sir." Crystal asked; her voice shaking as she spoke. "You know that Sakura is your daughter?" The King looked at her, emotionless, but nonetheless replied.

"Now I do," the King articulated slowly. "I had suspected the Countess from the beginning when I overheard her talking to one of my top guards, I realized what she did. She faked my voice to deny responsibility for her. She is just pure evil." Crystal decided not to ask anymore, this was a huge dilemma. "Now maybe it's time she leaves that urchin of a home and come here…"

That sentence woke everyone up from their worried state. Arthur looked up but strangely without looking either surprised or angry but with reason. Crystal protested against the idea of Sakura living in the castle.

"You can't! Sakura has grown attached to the Pok?cademy and she had friends there."

"You would know why she has to stay here if you were a princess too." The King commented.

"But I am a prin… I mean was a maid…" Crystal twisted her words unprofessionally. Mat, who could not understand what she was saying, just babbled out her title.

"What you are a maid? I thought you are a princess!" Crystal quickly reacted and tried to shove her paw down Mat's throat.

"So you are a princess maid?" The King asked out of curiosity. "That is utterly ridiculed." Crystal blushed as being called a 'princess maid' was embarrassing and demeaning as she was a princess after all.

"I am a princess and I know that the life she will live here; is not what she would want as her permanent way of living."

"And yet you are here? Who is taking your duties then?"

"My sister: she is not physically inclined but she is highly intelligent."

"But looks like you are both fit and smart aren't you the most perfect candidate?" The King replied, giving a slight sneer. "Regardless my decision stands."

"Fine… if I cannot make you change your mind, I have three requests I want to make which I believe is what everyone wants." Crystal exchanging looks with Arthur who was caught unaware. "Can we take this discussion elsewhere?" The King was pleased to hear that his own daughter would be living in the castle and was willing to listen to requests made whole-heartedly. That was nearly several hours ago, Sakura's darkest hour has yet to approach as the heavens began to cry. Resting within a sanctuary, Sakura let a tear flow down her face. That tear dripped down and was suddenly frozen into a crystal clear jewel. (The magic of the room made that possible) The Jewel rolled and got through the door; it roamed out of sight. Unknown to Sakura, that tear-drop was filled with her hope, happiness and memories. All of the feelings of joy and something special were also concealed inside. Sakura slowly opened her sparkling violet eyes; exhausted and in pain. She slowly pushed her body upwards despite the pain from her back and hind legs; she slowly but surely limped towards the door.


	27. Chapter 27

As the sound of the rain reached her ears as she painfully pushed open the door. Sakura was feeling extremely exhausted. She looked down the seemingly never-ending hallway. The glowing sun crystals were making a warm and pleasant atmosphere. The velvet red carpet made her paws feel very uncomfortable; Sakura loves to experience the grass prickling her legs as she tread softly on them. The overwhelming smell of Oak Berry tress came over her, she felt that her place: the place she could call 'home' was not inside a luxurious castle but somewhere where her friends were aplenty and wide open spaces with her own freedom.

Sakura stopped halfway to tend to her wounds. The stabbing pains emitting from her sides and back were excruciating that she had no choice but to stop. Maybe if I'd used magic to heal myself… Sakura thought to herself thinking that it is the fastest way she could get well and left the unfamiliar confines of the palace. She closed her eyes; trying to focus her mind on healing herself but unfortunately she was nearly wiped out from her last major use of magic. Abandoning the idea of using magic at all, she endured the pain and continued to crawl down the corridor. She soon came across a window and she decided stop and look out into the misty scenery. Strangely, Sakura had always enjoyed rainy days secretly. (Even kept it secret from Arthur) She was easily fascinated by regular things such as: the rising of the moon, rainbows, flowers blooming and just about anything inter-related with the wonderful treasures of Mother Nature. The misty curtain made by the light downpour of the rain makes everything look abstract to the eye. The trees are dancing with the cold blustery weather. Sakura smiled sweetly, she pushed open the window to feel the wind hitting her face. It was thoroughly refreshing; the cool feeling spreads from her face to the end of her tail. She was caught up in the moment, savoring every second she could before she started off again.

It took her several minutes just to descend down a flight of stairs as she needed to take things slowly, avoiding further injury. A gigantic door stood strongly in front of her as she reached the land. Sakura's eyes were wide open but her body was worn out; she could not remember clearly why was she so tired but she disregarded any hints of fatigue and leaned her body weight on the mammoth door, it did not even budge. She stumbled backwards and then started to ram the door using her head. She went back a few meters and then charged with whatever energy she had left in her body. The door just swung open like it was made of cardboard; it did not looked like she had not need to use of much strength.

At the same time as Sakura was coming down from the sanctuary, Arthur and his friends had been having discussions with the King, The King sat on his throne comfortably while Arthur made his requests. Along with them was Katie, who had nowhere else to since her mother had disappeared from the castle. Originally she had intended to personally go to Pok?cademy and try to make a life there by herself. But her short days as a princess had showcased her as a well-organized Pok?on and were able to manage her work well. The King could not possibly look pass someone who had out-done most of his advisers.

"You make an excellent point, she has done Sun-Grove a service, and I will accept your first request." The King replied. Katie looked at Arthur gratefully, she had been wondering what she would do after this incident. Her biggest dilemma was resolved within a matter of minutes when it took her hours of gruesome brainstorming to come up with one viable option. Crystal was tongue-tied as she could not stop the inevitable from happening and just stood there silently and awkwardly. Mat, who was trying to relate to her feeling, tried to cheer her up with his chestnut-brown eyes. Arthur smiled back at Katie but turned his attention to the king; his smile to Katie lacked the same sweet impression that he had always given Sakura. It was the same manner that he would try and charm Sakura who had the irresistible Cute Charm ability, making her lovable by nearly everyone. He had to make his own notion into Sakura's heart if he wants her to like him more than a friend. It was nearly two-fold design he made up since the moment he first met Sakura; (Which is the moment that he was born) it was love at first sight for him.

"The second request I want to make is that… You grant us unquestioned access to the castle." Arthur gradually dictated. The King pondered once again at this application. This is a heady matter; by giving anyone the permission will either spark an outpouring of further problems or cause something unexpected to happen. "I made this request as I wanted to be able to visit my girlfriend…" Arthur did not understand what he was spilling out at that time. The King suddenly glared at him, his expression could not be distinguished from either shock or had just heard a very hilarious joke.

"Well, if you are very concern for my daughter… very well I will give you up to five unlimited passes into this castle so you may share them with your friends, but you would need to be sure none of them misuse it." Arthur nodded at a snail's pace. The King's bodyguards passed them unique medallions that they could keep with them at all times. Arthur took his and clipped it underneath his fur coat; Crystal, Jasmine, Mat all got one medallion each while Arthur received an extra, for a special guest (Who he had intended to give to his sister, Cynthia). Arthur had one last, major postulation to ask. A few beads of tears formed in Arthur's eyes as he got ready to state it. Crystal was taken aback; Arthur had a hardy nature, has almost no reason to cry at all. Arthur took a few deep breaths sparingly, trying to retain from crying out loud. His face has been reddening with sorrow. Tears are now flowing like a waterfall; dripping like a leaking pipe onto the floor. Each tear glittered brilliantly in the light of the forked lightning. Jasmine came by Arthur's side and tried to help him to pull himself together.

"The last thing I want to ask is…"

After a bare one minute after he had stated it, they all turned to leave. Sakura just pushed opened the door and was in time to see her friends leaving. A new emotion took hold of Sakura, panic. This sense drove her to run to catch up with her friends.

"Hey…!" Sakura yelled while panting despairingly. "Wait for me!" the hint of desperation in Sakura's sweet and gentle voice was obvious. Arthur heard Sakura's voice, he was tempted to turn around to see her but his eyes are slightly obstructed by new tears forming in his eyes; Arthur instead broke into a run. The others followed his example. They all reached the door archway before Sakura could catch up to them. Arthur held back his tears and managed to tell Crystal something. Crystal, face tear-stained, just did as she was told.

Sakura's distance from her friends was slowly decreasing. Just as she was about to be reunited with her pals, something stopped her dead in her tracks. Sakura had bumped headlong into a solid barrier; similar to the barrier that was used in the cage that the Elite Royal Guards had used against her. It rebounded her backwards a respectful distance. She was already hurt, the recoil damage from the wall made it worse. She struggled frantically to get back up and to reach her friends. The barrier stood boldly between her and happiness was weaved by Crystal with Arthur's request. Sakura leaned on the barrier; standing on her hind legs. Her front legs were supporting her by pressing on the barrier; the barrier showed no signs of backing down. Sakura looked though the transparent barrier; all of her friends are avoiding eye contact with her or simply just cried.

"What's… going on?" Sakura whispered softly but everyone could hear her dire voice. Only the sound of the rain answered her. Jasmine, her eyes swollen, looked at her and spoke.

"Hey Sakura… Be good for us…" The stand-still has been broken. Jasmine's words rung through Sakura's ears like a resonance from a high pitched flute. And be sure to keep smiling, no matter how hard it is, Jasmine thought; managing to force a painful smile. It is for the best.

"Jasmine… what are you saying?" cried Sakura as more tears added on to her ongoing cascade. "Please get me out…" Jasmine turned away and walked off. The seconds Sakura stared at Jasmine walking away was extremely agonizing for both of them. Jasmine and Sakura had both regarded each other as 'sisters' so being left behind was heart-breaking. Jasmine trotted out of sight into the hall. Jake, who inclined on the wall, was the second to speak.

"I want to thank you, princess… for being a busybody; without you being so nosy, I would have been a complete loner without friends." Jake elaborated. Jake was blessed with a lonely nature, he prefers little friends compared to a large ground of Pok?on. He was very hostile to almost anyone; he had run away from his home as he could not comply with his parents' wishes. Meeting Sakura was his milestone, it led to him to grow up and make friends by himself. "Remember to trust your instincts." After those final parting words, he followed Jasmine and walked devastatingly away. Sakura's cascade of tears could not be held back any longer and she withered down to the ground, weeping heavily. Jake was a lonely Pok?on so he values every friend he makes, leaving like this was hurtful for him. Sakura valued Jake as a caring and smart fellow. She always felt easy whenever he is nearby; however Arthur gave her a more unique feeling that made her feel special. Well princess, good luck with the rest of your life. Mat did not bother to say anything else except an 'I am sorry for hitting you during our first meeting.' The two remaining is Crystal and Arthur, Sakura's closest friends.

"Crystal, please let me through." Sakura sobbed, delivering small taps on the barrier every second to see if it has disappeared. The sight of Sakura was tormenting, unsettling to anyone's outlook; all the times that she could have shed tears for miserable past, all came outpouring in that single moment. All the sadness, despair thoughts came flashing through her mind. Friendship was the one of the two pillars that support her joy in life, the other was nature; her first and biggest part of her bliss started to crumble around her. Crystal was crying hard too.

"Sakura, I tried to stop this from happening… Really I did try my hardest." Crystal wiped her eyes using her paw. She sniffed but she held together long enough to give her some words. "Since that it is happening right now, just be strong and I will come by as much as I can." Those words impaled into Sakura's mind and finally, she understood what was going on: The barrier locking her inside the castle, her friends leaving slowly. She is going to be forced to be the princess.

"No… No! I am not becoming the Princess! I want to go back to Lavinder town and spend the rest of my life with you guys!" Sakura bellowed, not taking her eyes off Crystal, who strangely stayed after her concluding words. Arthur was the last to speak.

"Arthur?" Sakura softly murmured. "Please tell that this is not real." Arthur was now haunted with a feeling of guilt. He had given up Sakura willingly into a life that might be filled with misery. He did not have the right to even look at Sakura after what he had done. He summoned whatever strength he have to go up to the barrier and stood opposite Sakura. Sakura got up and set her right paw on the barrier. Arthur matched her position. Sakura placed her head on the barrier and Arthur mirrored her and they share a last almost nose-rub together before they both let a bead of water flow. Vulpix, from the Elite Royal Guard, let a ball of light float. As the ball of light moved gradually closer to the unaware victim, the last request slowly appeared in Arthur's mind.

"Her memories?" asked the King.

"Yes… memories. She would be more compelled to live here if you take her memories of us and erase them." Arthur explained. The King merely nodded in agreement. After a while, instructed Vulpix to do a spell.

The small orb of dazzling light came behind Sakura and it became smaller until it was nothing more than a sparkling speck. The small speck went into Sakura's head; the effects were not immediate but they are starting to take hold very quickly. Her vision was slowly blurring; the remainder of her strength was leaving her. Before she could faint, she expressed out her last words to Arthur.

"I…I want to be with you. I… love… y…." however before she could finish the sentence, the whole world went black for Sakura. Her frail petite body fell sideways and collapsed out cold on the floor. Everything Sakura ever knew was dissolved.

"Sakura! Sakura!" Arthur called out from behind the wall. His natural feelings for Sakura overcame him. The King had walked down from his throne and up to Sakura, holding some that looked distinctively like a crown. Crystal had broken the barrier and Arthur went over to Sakura. His tears splashed onto Sakura's damp face.

"Excuse me, young lad. I need to give Sakura something." The King announced and Arthur backed away after much hesitation. Vulpix lifted Sakura using magic and helped the lifeless body to stand still. The King placed the crown upon Sakura's head. The crown's jewel shone brightly as it has been reunited with its rightful owner. The crown then glowed in a brilliant candy pink and it changed form and became an ear accessory on Sakura's right ear. "Vulpix, take Lady Sakura to the sanctuary to rest then you are dismissed for the day." Vulpix lazily just walked along side Sakura who was floating horizontally.

Crystal had to drag Arthur out of the throne room and 'picked up' the rest and made their way outside. The downpour was over and the sun was shining in the sky. When they are outside, they are at a lost.

"Well, I need to go inform my parents about this. I will meet you back at the Pok?on Academy." Jasmine muttered and she departed from the rest of the group. Crystal looked at the shrinking back of Jasmine.

"Hey, I need to go too. My parents back at Icicle Castle would need to know of this." With that Crystal and Mat, both set off together to Icicle Castle. But before she could leave, she reprimanded Arthur. "Arthur, I really hope that you are happy after this. It is because of you that Sakura is now in the castle and it would be your fault when she cries… wait, it was already your fault when she cried just now!" Furious and upset, Crystal stormed away with Mat chasing after her. Arthur's guilt sky-rocketed; he toppled backwards and sat down on his bottom. The tears he shred before had not dried up and yet new ones formed in his eyes. He wanted to cry it out but he could not do it at all. His tears formed and flowed but he never released the inner sadness after no matter how droplets trickled from his face. Crystal's words were like a siren, reminding him of his actions. Arthur clenched his teeth hard, shut his eyes and walked away on the route back to Lavinder Town with the rest of the group.

Everything Sakura knew from the day she was born, was shattered. Her mind is now in pieces, with several gaps of blanks in-between. She was gently laid on a large double bed with a thick blanket coving her body. Her silver and amber ear wrap and Amherst key were almost hidden in the darkness of the room. The curtains were covering the windows; shutting out the rays of the sun. There was a vein of water on Sakura's face.

While Sakura rests in a mindless coma, Arthur left Sun-Grove feeling nothing but guilt and rage of what he had done. I will make this right one day… One day, I promise. And I never break a promise to anyone; especially you, Sakura… Arthur swore to himself and to the coming twilight.

* * *

><p>This is the end of part 1 of the whole story, the next part is on Jerry's channel at s8109387/1/Tears_Of_Sakura

Credits:

Story idea: Me (Melody)

Writer: Jerry-Toh


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